THE Philippines needs to boost efforts to halt the decline in English proficiency among Filipino workers, foreign business groups said last week. They warned that the continuing slide could hurt the country's competitiveness.
Paulo Duarte, president of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, said that our country's advantage in English made us an attractive destination for international trade and investment. Facility with the English language enhances workplace efficiency and overall business operations.
However, the country slipped four notches down to 22nd place out of 111 countries in the 2022 edition of the English Proficiency Index (EPI). The index is done by the global education company Education First. Despite the lower ranking, however, the Philippines still managed to rank the second highest in English proficiency in East and Southeast Asia. Singapore expectedly came first.
The country's EPI score of 578 falls under the category of "high proficiency," considered to be enough for tasks like making work presentations, understanding TV shows and reading newspapers.
"Knowing that English is one of several major advantages for Filipinos, we would encourage the government to take the necessary steps to retain and improve English language training at all levels of education, with a focus on Business English," said Bo Lundqvist, president of the Nordic Chamber (NordCham) of Commerce of the Philippines.
In a 2020 report, the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) think tank, citing a study on the status of senior high school (SHS) implementation, said that many public SHS students lack the basic skills needed for the program.
The PIDS report also said that many teachers expressed concern about students who struggle to form simple English sentences, "making some subjects like Practical Research difficult to teach."
NordCham's Lundqvist noted that the relatively high level of English proficiency in the Philippines overall makes establishing and operating a business here easier for foreign entities.
How then to arrest this decline of one of our remaining advantages in global business?
One, enhance the quality of English instruction in schools, with a focus on the communicative approach to teaching English, as well as reading, writing and speaking skills. Two, provide professional development for English teachers to improve their language proficiency and teaching methods.
Three, create opportunities for immersion in an English-speaking environment through cultural exchange programs and English summer camps. Fourth, use online resources, language learning apps and educational websites to supplement English learning.
Fifth, consider a bilingual approach (again) in schools, using both English and Filipino languages in instruction. Sixth, encourage businesses to use English as a medium of communication in the workplace.
Seventh, launch public awareness campaigns to emphasize the importance of English proficiency and the opportunities it can create. Eighth, engage communities in English language programs and encourage parents to support their children's language development.
Ninth, implement standardized English proficiency tests and certifications to motivate individuals to improve their language skills. Tenth, offer scholarships or incentives to students who excel in English, creating motivation for improvement.
Public library resources must also be enhanced with a wide selection of English books, newspapers, magazines and multimedia materials. Partnerships can also be fostered with English-speaking countries for exchange programs and cultural activities.
Short-term repercussions would be felt in the business processing outsourcing industry. Arnt Jagga, country leader for the Philippines of Concentrix + Webhelp, said that English proficiency is central to the industry's competitiveness and sustainability.
He said their company employs interventions during pre-hiring, hiring and further training development to address the potential loss of English-proficient workers.
These include one to two weeks of "near hire" training for basic conversational English, on-the-job training for basic customer interaction skills and government-academe partnerships for specialized customer experience courses during the pre-hiring phase.
The company will also launch its Turo Guro program before year-end to provide free English training to school teachers nationwide.
George Barcelon, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said various groups have been urging the Department of Education to focus on improving the English language skills of students.
Our workforce is recognized for our strong work ethic, adaptability, technical skills, hospitality and a keen sense of cultural awareness. Along with our fabled familiarity with English, these make our workforce competitive in the tough global marketplace. We should keep these advantages intact.
