DepEd ends mandatory use of Mother Tongue in PH-wide early-grade instruction

The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued a major policy shift on the medium of instruction (MOI) for Kindergarten to Grade 3, officially ending the mandatory use of the Mother Tongue in early-grade instruction nationwide.

- BY MERLINA HERNANDO-MALIPOT

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara signed DepEd Order No. 20, series of 2025, or the Policy on the Medium of Instruction for Kindergarten to Grade 3 Effective School Year (SY) 2025-2026.

The order, which takes effect this school year, states that Filipino and English will be the primary media of instruction for Kindergarten to Grade 3 learners.

“The MOI for Kindergarten to Grade 3 shall primarily be Filipino and English, including Filipino Sign Language for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners,” DepEd said in the newly issued order.

"Regional languages shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction, using translanguaging to support the transition of all types of learners from one language to another," it added.

The policy implements Republic Act No. 12027, which discontinues the mandatory use of the Mother Tongue as MOI and allows its use only in monolingual classes that meet strict criteria.