Link: http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2006/12/08/SCAU2006120881888.html
In the Asian region, the Filipinos are known to be the most competent in English. Thousands of Koreans, Japanese and other Asians come to the Philippines every year to study English as a second language, spending at least R30,000 a month on living expenses and tuition fees alone.
In recent years, however, competency in English among Filipinos has significantly declined. According to a survey by the SWS last March, the English proficiency level of Filipinos has decreased over the past 12 years or so. In December 2003, almost three fourths of the population could understand spoken English. In 2006, only 65 percent of Filipinos are proficient in this skill.
The deterioration of English communication standards in the Philippines is also manifested in the low acceptance rate among call center job applicants. Several foreign companies have opened thousands of call center jobs in the Philippines, with the notion that Filipinos are good English speakers. Sadly, less than a tenth of applicants pass the companies’ English proficiency tests. Filipino college students, who had presumably studied English since first grade apparently, have no mastery of basic English grammar rules.
Recognizing the urgent need for Filipino adults to undergo further study in the English language, both public and private sectors have come up with various English training programs in recent months. Local government units, often in cooperation with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), now offer English training to help increase the chances of job applicants to qualify for call center jobs and for employment abroad.
Rossana Llenado, founder of AHEAD Professional Network (AHEADPro), notes the steady demand for English courses. “People want to learn English for different reasons. Many fresh graduates want to get into call centers for high salaries so they study American English. Some enroll in review classes for English tests like the TOEFL and the IELTS. Some professionals take English lessons to improve their writing skills and get promoted. And there are those who want to learn English for personal reasons like communicating with their foreigner spouses better,” Llenado said.
According to Llenado, effective language courses address the specific needs of learners, “It is ideal to have separate courses for call center applicants, for outbound professionals, and for those who are interested to learn conversational English. People learn English at different levels for different purposes. A good English program takes into account the individual requirements to each learner,” she explained.
AHEADPro, a sister company of the highly popular AHEAD Tutorial & Review Center, hires graduates of the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines to handle their English language courses. It maintains relatively small class sizes of 20 to 30 to ensure more effective learning. This November, it introduces a 20-hour comprehensive English program. Scheduled after office hours, the program accommodates professionals who want to be more proficient and confident English communicators. Interested parties may call 426-0034 to 36, 396-1999, or 0917-5009099, or visit www.aheadph.com for information.
Llenado said she hopes to help Filipinos become experts in English again through her programs. “It’s a competitive world out there, and we can’t afford to be left behind,” the educator said.