Philippine English Policy - A Nod to Globalization

The advantage of promoting English as a medium ofare better than those who are taught in a language
teaching lies on global competitiveness. Using Englishother than what they speak at home." (cited in Luz,
to learn Math, Science or other subjects will gain2007). It was further stated that the problem behind
students some comparative advantage in the globalpoor Math and Science skills is not the low proficiency
market. Furthermore, the proliferation of call centersion English. It is poor Math and Science skills. Indeed,
in our country intensifies the need to promote EnglishEnglish proficiency level is merely one of the factors
as a medium for learning. Lastly, since the questionsthat determine one's overall abilities and skills.
in most subjects like Math and Science are in English,Countries like Japan and Chinese have been using
students were believed to improve their Math andtheir mother tongue in their subjects and were
Science skills. This policy is actually promotingshown that they have high aptitude scores. Clearly,
neo-liberalization, whose main principle is free marketthis disadvantage shows the negligence for national
or free trade. The government's enthusiasm fordevelopment. As opposed to what the policymakers
global competitiveness clearly depicts theintend, the lack of support and trust to our own
embracement of foreign employers. The goalnative language is an illustration of our abandonment
therefore, is really not to increase learning skills onfor national identity.
the subjects abovementioned, rather to be hired onNational development is accompanied by education
global market.and various socioeconomic processes that are
The disadvantages of this policy lie on the fact that itinextricably linked. In this case, we should be
will hurt learning. UNESCO findings show that "youngpromoting our own dialect to strengthen our social
children learn how to read and acquire numeracyidentity and make learning a wonderful and easy
faster and better when taught in their motherexperience, not something for the benefit of the
tongue. Their achievement rates in higher-grade levelsforeign industries.