McKinley's questionable bequest: over 100 years of English in Philippine education

Abstract

Abstract: The English language has enjoyed a privileged status in Philippine formal education since US President McKinley declared it the medium of instruction of the Philippine public educational system in 1900. But the pre‐eminence of English has been vigorously called to question since then. This paper traces the changing status of English in Philippine education from the establishment of the American colonial government to the current implementation of the Bilingual Education Policy. It then discusses five dominant themes in the competing discourses regarding the role of English in Philippine education. Finally, the emerging prospects for English in Philippine education are described.