English medium of instruction in Philippine higher education institutions: MOI policy development in oligarchy

• Main Authors: Bernardo, Allan Benedict I., Gaerlan, Marianne Jennifer M.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2022
• Subjects: Language policy—Philippines; Language and education—Philippines; Sociolinguistics—Philippines; Language and Literacy Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/6065
• Institution: De La Salle University

In this paper, we examine the medium of instruction (MOI) issue in Philippine higher education by reviewing the historical context of the relevant policies, and studying the experience of one English MOI university. We contend that policymaking about MOI in education explicitly or implicitly assumes that language has a particular role in facilitating some specific function or goal of the educational process, and that these functions or goals have defined from the standpoint of the Philippine elite. We will conclude by briefly discussing the problems related to MOI policies that primarily respond to the social actions and goals of the elites, and also the challenge to develop MOI policies that consider the diverse sociolinguistic realities of most Filipino students and their aspirations for social advancement.