LEARNING IN
'SINUGBUANONG BINISAYA' / 21 MILLION TROOP BACK TO SCHOOL
DAVAO CITY, JUNE 5, 2012
(INQUIRER) Pupils entering kindergarten up to Grade 2 will no
longer wrestle with a foreign language as they enter school this year.
The Department of Education (DepEd) said schools would start the use of the
mother tongue, and in the region, Sinugbuanong Binisaya (Cebuano Visayan), not
English, would be the medium of instruction.
"We try to ascertain during enrollment time what language the child is using
at home, but in the case of the region of Southern Mindanao, it is Sinugbuanong
Binisaya," said Susana Estigoy, DepEd regional director.
She said the decision to use the mother tongue resulted from many years of
research.
"Studies have been made with other countries using mother tongue in the
initial years of learning and it is found that children who learned new concepts
using the mother tongue have been proven to be more long lasting," Estigoy said.
"Besides, it's more difficult for children to learn new concepts at the same
time when they are learning new language. By using the mother tongue, one
barrier to learning has been removed; and this is the language barrier,
therefore, it will be easier for students to learn," she said.
Over 2,000 teachers in the region have undergone a weeklong training on how
to handle the new instructional materials, most of which are locally produced
and written.
Estigoy said at least 12 languages in the entire country had been chosen as
possible lingua franca among the regions, and among these was the Sinugbuanong
Binisaya in Southern Mindanao.
"Using the mother tongue, it will be easier for pupils to learn basic
competencies developed by the teachers because one barrier to learning has
already been addressed," Estigoy said.
Pupils will begin using their mother tongue in kindergarten, learning reading
and writing of five vowels and 15 consonants of Sinugbuanong Binisaya from
kindergarten to the first semester of Grade 1, and the rest they will learn in
the second semester of Grade 1, when Filipino will be introduced.
Estigoy said the schools expected an increase in kindergarten enrollees in
public schools this year as schools prepare for the start of the mandatory
kindergarten to begin next year. Germelina Lacorte, Inquirer
Mindanao
FROM THE PHILSTAR
21 million troop back to school By Rainier Allan
Ronda (The Philippine Star) Updated June 04, 2012 12:00 AM
[PHOTO -A teacher tests a classroom computer at the Sumulong
Elementary School in Antipolo. Classes in public schools start today for
academic year 2012-2013. Val Rodriguez]
MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) is ready to welcome
back more than 21 million students as classes in public schools open today for
academic year 2012-2013.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro said more than 45,000 public kindergartens,
elementary and high schools are well prepared for the opening of classes after
DepEd undertook two primary programs – the National Schools Maintenance Week or
Brigada Eskwela Week, and the multi-sectoral, multi-agency Oplan Balik Eskwela
campaign – last month.
The Philippine National Police (PNP), on the other hand, assured the public
that it has prepared all the needed precautionary measures to ensure the smooth
and sound opening of classes.
"I've done a few rounds the past two weeks and despite many continuing
challenges, I've seen that our principals and teachers have gone out of their
way to make this school year one of the most prepared openings for DepEd,"
Luistro said.
He said that the private sector, particularly private corporations and even
small companies, had stepped up with their own efforts to help schools in their
communities prepare during the Brigada Eskwela week last May 21 to May 26 and
even after.
"I wish to thank all of them including our partners in Brigada Eskwela for
their patience, generosity and commitment to education," Luistro said.
He said DepEd has already addressed the shortage of textbooks and school
desks this school year and is ready to introduce the enhanced curriculum under
the K (Kindergarten)+12 basic education curriculum (BEC) program, particularly
the new and improved curriculum for Grade 1 and Grade 7, previously the first
year high school level.
The ambitious K+12 BEC overhauls the current 10-year BEC with six years of
elementary and four years of high school, with a mandatory kindergarten level
before entry to Grade 1.
After this, a student will undergo a Grade 1 to Grade 10 education path. At
the end of Grade 10, one is to go to an additional two-year senior high school
level before graduating from high school and pursuing college studies.
Luistro said that the training of more than 140,000 elementary and high
school teachers who will teach the Grade 1 and Grade 7 levels this school year
had been completed last summer.
He said that DepEd will also push teachers and school heads to monitor the
development of each student as best as possible.
To make this possible, he said all students in public schools will now have a
Learner Reference Number (LRN) for easy tracking of a student's development by
the teacher.
Police visibility
PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome said the PNP will deploy
policemen near schools, colleges and universities to ensure the safety of
students, parents and even faculty members.
He reminded all police units nationwide to strictly implement Balik Eskwela
2012, designed to ensure the safety of students going back to school today.
"Chief PNP Bartolome will hold concerned commanders accountable for any
security lapse stemming from their failure to supervise Balik Eskwela 2012
properly," said PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr., adding
that police regional offices (PROs) will be required to submit periodic updates.
Cerbo said Bartolome has ordered all PNP commanders at all levels to
personally supervise the strict implementation of Balik Eskwela 2012 and enhance
police visibility to deter street crime. He added that the PNP will set up of
police assistance desks in selected areas.
Bartolome likewise advised PNP personnel to maintain close coordination with
DepEd, traffic management offices like Metro Manila Development Authority
(MMDA), local government units (LGUs) and other concerned offices.
MMDA: Smooth traffic today
The MMDA said it will ensure a smooth traffic flow all over the metro today.
In its weekly radio program, the agency said traffic aides will be manning
the streets as early as 5 a.m. and that removing ambulant vendors from sidewalks
started last week.
"Roads get clogged during school opening and it is the MMDA's obligation to
ensure a smooth flow for the opening of classes," said MMDA assistant general
manager for planning Emerson Carlos over radio dzBB.
He added that traffic aides will be deployed near school premises. MMDA is
among eight agencies tapped by DepEd for the June 4 opening.
The agency also reminded the public that its renewed drive against jaywalkers
will start today.
For its initial implementation of the campaign, the MMDA will only reprimand
people who will cross streets that are not marked as pedestrian crossings or
those who will not use footbridges.
By Tuesday, Carlos said jaywalkers will be fined P200. For those who cannot
pay, they will be required to attend a 15 to 20-minute lecture on disaster
preparedness.
Senior citizens and minors (17 and below) caught jaywalking will be
reprimanded.
Carlos explained that they cannot hold teenagers liable, if ever, because of
the Juvenile Justice Law that removed criminal liability of minors.
MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the agency is monitoring surveillance
cameras to ensure that violators cannot deny the charges.
Tolentino said the agency has repainted and created new pedestrian lanes
along the schools immediate vicinity. Thermoplastic materials were used because
these do not fade easily and they reflect during nighttime, he said. - Cecille Suerte Felipe, Non Alquitran, Aie Balagtas See, Alexis
Romero
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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