Deped Order

Lapus orders the use of English as a medium of instruction

In support of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s issuance of Executive Order No. 210, “Establishing the Policy to Strengthen the Use of English Language as a Medium of Instruction in the Educational System,” and to further intensify the program, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus issued its implementing rules and regulations through DepED Order No. 36, s. 2006. The guidelines were formulated for the effective implementation of the provisions of EO 210 and to reiterate the increased time allotment in the use of English for classroom instruction. The education chief prescribed that English shall be taught as a second language starting in grade one. He stressed that as provided in the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum, English should be used as the medium of instruction for English, mathematics, and science and health starting in grade three. The English language shall be used as the primary medium of instruction in all public and private schools in the secondary level, including those established as laboratory and experimental schools, and vocational and technical institutions,” Secretary Lapus added. In the secondary level, technology and livelihood education, music, arts, physical education and health, and Citizenship Advancement Training (CAT) shall also be taught in English. Filipino, araling panlipunan and edukasyon sa pagpapahalaga shall be taught in Filipino. “As the primary medium of instruction, the percentage of time allotment for learning areas conducted in the English language should not be less than seventy percent of the total time allotment for all learning areas in all year levels,” he added.