Assessment of schools administrators on the implementation of mother tongue-based multilingual education in the division of Negros Occidental

This study evaluated the implementation of Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in the Division of Negros Occidental a decade after its introduction. Utilizing a descriptive design, this study employed survey questionnaires to assess implementation levels among school administrators in public and private educational institutions. The research framework is based on the guidelines established by DepEd Order No. 74, s. 2009, which serves as a benchmark for MTB-MLE implementation. The findings revealed a solid commitment to MTB-MLE implementation across various indicators in public schools. Private schools demonstrated a similar level of commitment overall but only moderate implementation in specific areas such as instructional materials development. The study highlights MTB-MLE's potential benefits, including enhanced comprehension, increased confidence, active participation, and cultural connection. However, it also identified significant challenges hindering full implementation. These obstacles included resource scarcity, inadequate teacher training, learner language diversity, difficulties transitioning to additional languages, and issues with appropriate assessment methods. To address these challenges, the research has proposed policy recommendations to improve MTB-MLE effectiveness. These suggestions include developing target training programs for educators, enhancing resource allocation, refining the curriculum to support multilingual learning better, and implementing community engagement to foster broader support for MTB-MLE. By providing a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of the MTB-MLE, this study offers valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and researchers working to enhance the effectiveness of multilingual education in linguistically diverse environments. The findings and recommendations contribute to the ongoing dialogue on best practices in multilingual education and cultural preservation through language instruction. Keywords: Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education, MTB-MLE, implementation, assessment, mother tongue, school administrators