Spoken-in-dollars eh?

It is in school where we first learn thing but it is also in school where we learn how to break rules and make our own. Irony is, we pay fees to learn but we simply don’t want to follow the rules, regulations and policies imposed by our school in order for us to learn.

English-Only-Policy. This is, so far, is the most common policy you will see in schools – particularly in college and so far the most policy that is likely to be broken. In most cases, you won’t even see people following this rule, no one, in fact are speaking in English. The law applies to all or none at all as the saying goes, so why the hell impose this if no one is complying?

English-Only-Policy (EOP) is a policy imposed by the school in selected places around the campus where students are not allowed to speak the vernacular. This aims to hone the English communication skills, particularly the speaking skill, of the students and help them to prepare in the battle for job application after graduation. Basically, the aim is to help students; but why do students simply not care about this policy?

When I was in college, our entire school was declared as an English-Only Zone and we were all discouraged to speak the vernacular whenever inside the school premises, whether be in breaks or class discussions. However, no student was following the rule which made the policy ineffective. In fact, even our professors used Filipino during breaks and consultation hours (except for class discussion where they used their spoken-in-dollars skills which made my nose bled). So make the students abide by the rule, our college even created some sort of a search for an English Ambassador (in which I emerged as one of champions) through the efforts of the English Guild. That program aims to encourage students to speak in English by deploying us in different areas in the college just to let other students hear we were speaking in English. And guess what, I too, broke the rule because I just joined that competition for the money. In addition to that, the EOP of our school became an issue because some people thought that there was no need for such policy because no one will abide to it and it kills the Filipino out of us.

Filipino students nowadays are too aggressive. When a certain rule is imposed, they quickly react violently to it without even thinking how this rule could help them in the future. The problem is, they don’t want to be bothered with rule so they would detest.

Speaking the language of the world will not make us less of a Filipino, it will just make us more of a conio. In fact, it can help us be better in conversing in English during business transaction and meeting; and for students, during interviews and job applications. This is already proven because once you practice language, it will be easier for you to use it in everyday life or if not, in special occasions and events. Though at some time, people will tend to be irritated when someone is speaking in English just like what I experienced when I was still studying. But don’t mind them, just think that you are practicing and they don’t care about it. It is for your own sake and not for them.

I know that it is not necessary for you to speak in English at all times especially if you are already adept to speaking it but how about those who find trouble in using the language? The secret to becoming a good English speaker is continuous practice. But you have to remember as well that there is no need to be “maarte” with the way you speak (which may be the reason why people get so irritated to people speaking in English) because it doesn’t matter for as long as people get the idea of your point.

EOP is a policy intended to make students learn so why not follow it? After all, it is for us, in your case if you are a student, it is for you! So if your school has this policy, why not follow it and become an example to others?