Gatchalian seeks inquiry on gaps hounding Filipino Sign Language use for deaf education

While access to learning remains a challenge for learners and teachers with disabilities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Win Gatchalian is seeking an inquiry on the status of using the Filipino Sign Language (FSL) as the language of instruction of deaf education under the K to 12 basic education system.

To identify and address gaps, issues, and challenges on the use of the FSL for deaf education, Gatchalian filed Senate Resolution No. 722 to determine the impact of FSL's use among deaf teachers and learners, which is mandated by Republic Act No. 11106 or the Filipino Sign Language Act.

Gatchalian lamented that the law's implementation has been neglected, continuously causing communication, information, and institutional barriers in deaf education. These include insufficient training of teachers, the non-promotion of the licensing and mobilization of deaf teachers, and the lack of materials---challenges that are amplified under the distance learning setup.

Republic Act No. 11106, which was signed into law in 2018, declares the FSL as the country's national sign language.

Before the law's enactment, education programs for sign language instruction and interpreter training were all done by a handful of nonprofit organizations with no government policies. Teachers also used to act as interpreters in the classrooms and were pulled away from their duties to serve as interpreters in trial courts and police stations.

For the school year 2016-2017, data from the Department of Education (DepEd) shows that there were 2,885 Special Education Teachers teaching 13,365 learners with diagnosed hearing impairment under K to 12.

The lawmaker also pointed to the barrier facing deaf teachers since the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) does not match the competencies for which they are prepared for. Because of this, deaf graduates end up as tutors with low-paying jobs instead of entering the educational system.

"Noong isabatas ang Filipino Sign Language Act, sinikap nating maging mas madali para sa ating mga deaf learners at teachers ang makilahok sa sistema ng ating edukasyon, ngunit hanggang ngayon ay marami pa rin sa kanila ang nahihirapan. Kaya susuriin nating mabuti kung paano matutugunan ang mga suliraning ito upang hindi mapag-iwanan ang ating mga deaf learners at teachers," said the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

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Gatchalian: Mga isyu sa paggamit ng Filipino Sign Language sa deaf education dapat tugunan

Habang patuloy ang mga suliraning dulot ng COVID-19 pandemic sa pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon para sa mga guro at mag-aaral na may kapansanan, isinusulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian na repasuhin ng Senado ang estado ng paggamit ng Filipino Sign Language (FSL) para sa deaf education sa ilalim ng K to 12.

Layunin ng Senate Resolution No. 722 na inihain ni Gatchalian na suriin ang iba't ibang mga isyu at suliranin ng deaf teachers at learners sa paggamit ng FSL, bagay na iminandato ng Republic Act No. 11106 o ang Filipino Sign Language Act.

Ikinababahala ng senador na hindi naipapatupad nang maayos ang naturang batas. Aniya, kulang pa rin ang training o pagsasanay para sa mga guro. Hindi naisusulong ang pagbibigay ng lisensya sa deaf teachers at nananatiling kulang ang mga kagamitan sa pagtuturo para dito -mga hamong lalong na-highlight sa ilalim ng distance learning.

Sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 11106 na naisabatas noong 2018, ang FSL ay itinuturing na pambansang sign language.

Bago ito isinabatas, ang mga programang pang-edukasyon para sa sign language at mga interpreter training ay isinasagawa lamang ng iilang nonprofit organizations. Wala ring mga polisiya ang pamahalaan samantalang ang mga guro ay napipilitan ding magsilbing interpreters. Madalas din noong ma-pull out ang mga guro sa pagtuturo upang maging interpreter sa mga korte at mga istasyon ng pulis.

Para sa school year 2016-2017, lumabas sa datos ng Department of Education (DepEd) na may halos tatlong libong (2,885) Special Education Teachers na nagtuturo sa mahigit labintatlong libong (13,365) mag-aaral sa K to 12 na nasuring may kapansanan sa pandinig.

Binigyang diin din ni Gatchalian na ang Licensure Examination for Teachers ay hindi dinisenyo upang maging tugma sa training ng mga deaf teachers. Dahil dito, ang mga deaf graduates ay nagiging mistulang tutor imbes na magkaroon ng maayos na trabaho sa pormal na sistema ng edukasyon.

"Noong isabatas ang Filipino Sign Language Act, sinikap nating maging mas madali para sa ating mga deaf learners at teachers ang makilahok sa sistema ng ating edukasyon, ngunit hanggang ngayon ay marami pa rin sa kanila ang nahihirapan. Kaya susuriin nating mabuti kung paano matutugunan ang mga suliraning ito upang hindi mapag-iwanan ang ating mga deaf learners at teachers," pahayag ng Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.