Not Good: PH slides down to 27th spot in global English proficiency ranking

Photo: Pisit Heng/Unsplash
Photo: Pisit Heng/Unsplash

Filipinos’ facility with the English language is getting worse, according to a study conducted by a global education provider.

Education First’s English Proficiency Index showed that the Philippines ranked 27th out of 100 countries and territories surveyed, sliding down by seven places from its 2019 ranking. The Philippines garnered a score of 562 out of 700. The country which topped the survey, the Netherlands, had a score of 652. Denmark (632) and Finland (631) are in second and third places, respectively.

In Asia, the Philippines came in second place. Singapore was the highest-ranked country in Asia with a score of 611.

Read: No Pinoy Pride Here: Filipino teens get lowest scores in global student assessment exam

When broken down by gender, Filipino men are more fluent in the language, at 60.41%, compared to 59.96% women.  In 2016, the Philippines was ranked 13th in the survey; in 2017, it was at 15th place, and in 2018 at 14th place.

Despite the country’s worsening performance, it is still considered in the “high” proficiency band. According to English First, countries in this group can make work presentations, understand television shows, and read newspapers.

However, those in the “very high” proficiency band, such as Singaporeans, can fulfill more complex tasks, such as using “nuanced and appropriate language” in social situations, reading “advanced” text, and negotiate a contract with a native English speaker.

The survey is based on the results of Education First’s English test, which was given to at least 2.2 million adults in 2019. It made the following conclusions based on the results of the test:

  1. English proficiency is improving, with 26 countries’ scores increasing significantly.
  2. English and innovation go hand-in-hand.
  3.  Technology spreads English
  4. Countries with high English proficiency are fairer and more open.
  5. Adults in their late 20s speak the best English.
  6. Managers speak more English
  7. Non-English speakers cluster in specific job functions
  8. The gender gap is narrow.
  9. European English skills are polarized.
  10. Asia spans the spectrum.
  11. Latin America is turning around.
  12. Africa skews high and low.
  13. The Middle East is improving.

In December 2019, the Programme for International Student Assessment, a global exam, showed that Filipino teenagers are lagging behind their peers when it comes to reading comprehension, mathematics, and science.

 



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