The second Stakeholders Forum for the study, Understanding Best Practices in MTB-MLE (Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education) in the Philippines, was held last July 20, 2015 at the Function Room of the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at UP Diliman. The event presented the results and findings for the second and third phases of the study to representatives of various national and international institutions such as the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Early Childhood Care and Development Council, UP College of Education, Australian Government (DFAT), USAid, UNICEF, Summer Institute of Linguistics, and Save the Children.
Assessment, Curriculum, and Technology Research Centre (ACTRC) Co-Director, Dr. Esther Care, welcomed participants and introduced the Centre, while Dr. Alan Williams, Dr. Romylyn Metila, and Ms. Lea Angela Pradilla presented the study’s results. Stakeholders formed small groups and discussed ways in which the study’s findings could help improve MTB-MLE implementation in the country. Dr. Rosalina Villaneza, MTB-MLE National Coordinator, presented an update on the program and gave DepEd’s response to the issues that were raised during the forum. ACTRC Co-Director Dr. Therese Bustos thanked the audience for attending the event and supporting MTB-MLE research.
The majority of the audience was composed of representatives from DepEd led by Bureau of Elementary Education Assistant Director, Dr. Marillete Almayda, MTB-MLE National Coordinator, Dr. Rosalina Villaneza, and Ms. Anne Tan of the Office of Programs and Projects. Regional and Division MTB-MLE coordinators, school heads and teachers also attended the forum and shared their views. The first stakeholders’ forum for the study was held on July 31, 2014 at the UP Balay Kalinaw and presented the preliminary results of the first phase of the research.
