75% of employers reject applicants with poor English

MANILA—Three quarters of the country’s employers turn down job applicants with poor English, according to one of the country’s leading job search sites.

JobStreet general manager Grace Colet said studies showed 75 percent of employers had turned down jobseekers with a poor command of English, and 97 percent believed those with good English were also more productive.

“It is important that a jobseeker has command of the English language,” Colet said.

Employers were alarmed by the increasing popularity of the “jejemon” culture in the country, a social phenomenon where liberties are taken with basic grammar and spelling to the point of incoherence, she said.

“This new trend which started with text messages and social media sites is seen to encourage erroneous use of language, which can have dire implications on one’s job prospects.”

In response to employers’ demands for better English usage at work, JobStreet recently launched an English Language Assessment (ELA) program to determine jobseekers’ command of the language, Colet said.

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Philippine education sector split on 12-year basic curriculum

MANILA—The education community is divided on the proposal to extend the 10-year basic education cycle by two years.

Private schools are in favor of expanding the system to 12 years but with curriculum retention, while teachers’ groups would like the government to focus first on what is lacking in the current system.

The Federation of Associations of Private Schools and Administrators (FAPSA) expressed support for the Aquino administration's plan to place the Philippine education system on a par with international standards but said there is no need to revise the curriculum.

“The Revised Basic Education Curriculum is still in its infancy. It was thoroughly studied under seven [education] secretaries and some of the best minds,” said FAPSA president Eleazardo Kasilag.

The basic education curriculum was last revamped in 2002, a revision that was implemented after a 16-year study.

Kasilag said private schools may implement the new basic education cycle after a year of implementation in the public schools as adjustments—new facilities, additional teachers and teaching materials—would have to be put in place.

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Philippine Science High School opens doors for free secondary education

KALIBO, Aklan—Elementary school pupils are once again given a chance of a lifetime to enjoy free secondary education at the Philippine Science High School (PSHS). First step they have to hurdle to enjoy this privilege is by passing the National Competitive Examination (NCE).

Should these pupils pass the NCE, they will enjoy free tuition fee, free loan of textbooks, monthly stipend, and unfiform, transportation and living allowances to those belonging to low income groups, according to Jairus Lachica, Provincial Science and Technology Officer of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Aklan.

The PSHS, with campuses all over the country, was established through Republic Act 3661. It is mandated to offer on a free scholarship basis a secondary course with emphasis on subjects pertaining to science with the end in view of preparing students for careers in science and technology.

To qualify for the NCE application, a Grade 6 or 7 elementary pupil from a duly recognized school by the DepEd should belong to the upper 10% of the current class and does not have a grade below 80 as certified by the School Principal; a Filipino citizen with no pending application as immigrant to any foreign country; born on or after June 1, 1996; in good health and fit to undergo a rigorous academic program; of good conduct and behavior; and had not taken the PSHS NCE previously.

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Mt. Province school launches automated school library system

BONTOC, Mt. Province—The Xijen College of Mountain Province, Inc. launched its Automated School Library System last August 5.

Bontoc municipal mayor Pascual Sacgaca graced the occasion and did the ceremonial honors of putting the system into action. In attendance were school administrators, school librarians from the elementary and high schools in the town's center and some members of the local media.

Xijen College of Mountain Province, Inc., the lone private institution of higher learning in the province, is one of the schools around the country that adapted the software Infolib.
As described in the application's website, Infolib (http://infolib.alaehweb.com/) is a free integrated library systems designed to provide library and information management solutions for small libraries and non-profit entities with ten thousand or less records. The system is equipped with modules such as book and periodicals cataloging, circulation (lending), reservation, user records, a reporting system and a web based and local search capability.

Infolib was developed by Gerry O. Laroza, systems administrator of the Rizal Library of the Ateneo de Manila University. As stated in his website, the Infolib software aims “to help libraries to have fully-integrated system for library management and information access free of charge.” Schools shopping for a commercial automated library system could spend several thousands of pesos.

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Indian nurses’ future in Australia uncertain over tough language test controls

CANBERRA—Australia’s decision to raise the English language standard among nurses in the country, and to deport international student nurses after their visas expire if they fail to meet the language requirements, would affect Indian nurses aspiring to work there the most.

Many international nurses would face uncertainty if they fail in English literacy test at level seven, the language requirement set by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

“The English language standard is set at a level to ensure that all nurses and midwives are able to communicate effectively—verbally and in writing, with their patients and with other healthcare professionals,” The Australian quoted the newly formed Nursing and Midwifery Board, as saying.

“The role of the board is to protect the public,” it added.

The board has raised its minimum English language standards, effectively denying the student nurses registration.

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Parents upset about their children learning English at a younger age

SALINAS, California—Parents are outraged at the Alisal Union School District after a state appointed trustee ordered their children to learn english at a younger age.

The majority of the children in the school district will be bilingual. The problem is establishing a strong english language and academic education to make sure these children don’t get lost.

“When the child has a good foundation of their first language he’s able to learn a second language much more efficiently,” said Jeanne Hori-Garcia, a child development instructor at Hartnell College.

She’s worked with bilingual students in three different countries and said it’s key children understand one language before learning a second. Something Alisal Union School District parents and teachers are fighting for.

“We don’t know how long we’re going to be here but we’re not doing anything wrong, we just want something better for our kids.”

State appointed trustee Carmella Franco said the district’s students are falling too far behind because they don’t learn English until the 4th grade. She plans on forcing all students to start speaking english in school in second grade. Some parents and teachers don’t like the idea.

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Focus on writing blamed for fall in reading test results
By Richard Garner, Education Editor, The Independent.uk

Test results for 11-year-olds published last August 3 showed a drop in reading standards for the second year running.

The number of children achieving the required standard fell from 86 per cent to 84 per cent this year, following a 1 percentage point drop in 2009.

Education heads believe that the drive to boost writing standards, which still lag far behind reading, may have caused teachers to focus less on reading. The Schools minister, Nick Gibb, described the drop in standards as “disappointing.”

Overall performance in maths and English both increased by 1 percentage point, but officials said the figures should be treated with caution because some schools chose not to make pupils sit the tests this year.

According to the Department for Education, just over 4,000 schools, or 25 per cent, refused to administer the tests as a result of a boycott by both the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT). They complained that too much teaching to the tests was ruining children's education as schools strived to do well in league tables.

A breakdown of the figures showed that 81 per cent of pupils reached the required standard in English and 80 per cent in maths, compared with 80 per cent and 79 per cent last year. But within English, there was a fall in reading of 2 percentage points to 84 per cent. Writing, which has been the subject of targeted aid to improve performance, rose by 3 percentage points to 71 per cent.

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Mastering English doesn’t make one less patriotic, says former PM

PETALING JAYA—Mastering the English language will not make one less patriotic, said former prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

“People should accept the fact that English is currently the language of knowledge,” he said.

He said the Internet came with various languages but English was still the main language on websites.
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Dr. Mahathir, who initiated the change to use English for teaching Science and Mathematics, said the two subjects should be taught in English as most of the information and research were written in the international language.

“You cannot rely on someone to translate the latest information for you as it changes every minute.

“If you master the language, you can acquire the information by yourself and search for the information that will benefit you,” he said in a talk on Impact of Technology on the Future of Higher Education at a hotel here yesterday.

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Urgent focus now on raising standard of English, says educator

IPOH, Malaysia (Bernama)—With the advancement in science and technology and the advent of globalisation, there is now a renewed and urgent focus on raising the standard of English in the country, the Raja Puan Besar of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim, said on Sunday.

She said that as global interconnectivity increased, it was essential that students and Malaysians became effective communicators who were not only fluent and proficient in English but also keen appreciators of the language and its literature.

"Mastery of the English language is essential to an individual's success and to secure our country's position in the global economy. It allows us to participate and interact meaningfully on a global scale," she said in her speech at the Ninth Cambridge English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) certificate presentation in conjunction with the Silver Jubilee Celebration of the Ipoh Learning and Training Institute, here.

Tuanku Zara also presented the Cambridge ESOL certificate to 121 students.

The English language was and would likely remain the language of global exchange and the primary medium of science, commerce, international relations and popular culture, she said.

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