Default Thumbnail

Inquiry on use of FSL to teach the deaf urged

May 17, 2021 Marlon Purification 537 views

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 for 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.