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FMJ needs more time to handpick DepEd chief
By Nidz Godino
“It turns out, it’s harder than I thought because we have to absolutely get it right…so, I’m giving myself more time,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told reporters after attending an event in Makati City picking next education secretary was harder than he thought, so he is giving himself more time to find “right person” for the job vacated last week by his Vice President.
“As I told you before, we have to see really what DepEd ,Department of Education needs,” he said.
Marcos explained next DepEd chief should be able to “manage agency properly” and help “bring up test scores” of students in the country.
“In other words, yes, I am having hard time choosing because work of DepEd chief is very complicated,” the President said.
Marcos earlier said he would name replacement of Vice President and former education secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio by the end of the week.
Asked whether he already had shortlist, Marcos said, “I’m not going to let you tie me down to anything…we are looking at everyone.”
Sen. Sonny Angara is reportedly being eyed as possible replacement of Duterte.
“I know people myself who I think can do job,” he said.
The Chief Executive received several recommendations for the position, including educator, administrator and history professor.
“And I’ve gone through so many CVs, we have lot of competent people,” the President said.
“Many people come to me and say why don’t you think about this fellow, why don’t you think about this maestra…why don’t you… so, we look at them all,” Marcos said.
The Chief Executive said next DepEd secretary should be someone who “understands bureaucracy, and how to use budget properly.”
Furthermore, he or she should be someone who can steer country to higher test scores, according to Marcos.
“What we always look at is our test scores…we have to bring up test scores…you all know that…so, you need an educator who understands how to help students, how to help teachers,” he said.
Philippines landed in the bottom four of global test for creative thinking, according to results of Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)’s newly launched benchmarking test for creativity.
Among 64 countries, 15-year-old Filipino junior high students were deemed to have one of the weakest creative thinking skills globally, with mean score of 14.2.
In PISA results released in December last year, Philippines landed in the bottom 10 out of 81 countries in reading comprehension, mathematics and science in 2022.
“There’s great deal more work to be done and we’ll find right person to do it,” Marcos said.
Duterte’s resignation as DepEd secretary will take effect on July 19. She resigned as DepEd secretary and vice chair of National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict on June 19 amid souring relationship between her family and Marcoses. Marcos earlier said Duterte did not say why she quit her post.
Senate colleagues of Angara have vouched for his qualification as next DepEd chief.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian is convinced of Angara’s capability to lead DepEd, citing their experience working together in Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2).
Gatchalian is EDCOM 2 co-chairman while Angara is commissioner for governance and finance. Gatchalian himself was reportedly also being considered for the post of DepEd secretary.
Harvard educated lawyer with economics and international relations degree, Angara chaired youth, finance and ways and means committee in Senate, as well as higher and technical education committee when he was Aurora congressman.
Angara has also authored and sponsored several laws improving access to quality education, such as Free College Education law, Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UNIFAST), Anti-Bullying law, Alternative Learning System law, among others, according to his curriculum vitae.
“He is on his last term, so this would be good transition for him…he, as active member of Education Commission, knows solutions to problems of education sector,” Gatchalian said.
“He also took up college at London School of Economics and then Master of Laws at Harvard University…his education background is really top class… I see in his experience and in his passion for education that he is fit for the position,” he stressed.
Gatchalian would prefer to finish his term in Senate, squelching talk that he was shoo-in for the post.
It would also not look good if he is appointed education secretary when his brother Rex Gatchalian is social welfare secretary.
“I still have four years in Senate… I want to finish mandate given to me by millions of voters,” Gatchalian said.
Sen. Nancy Binay, for her part, is proud that two of her fellow “Solid 7” members – Gatchalian and Angara are being considered for DepEd post.
They formed bloc of senators who sided with former Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri when the latter was ousted by now Senate President Francis Escudero.
“It is proud moment that our fellow two group mates are fit for the job…both of them are part of EDCOM and thus know problems of education sector, I guess consideration is that Senator Sherwin has four more years left as senator, while Angara is graduating next year,” Binay said .
Escudero and Sen. JV Ejercito have also vouched for Angara’s competence as DepEd leader.
Meanwhile, teachers’ group Teacher Dignity Coalition has reiterated its call on President Marcos to choose non-politician with managerial skills and teaching background as next education secretary.
“First, we insist that new secretary should not be politician or actively involved in partisan politics… crucial to keeping DepEd free from political conflicts and ensuring its focus remains on educational advancement rather than divisive politics or electoral considerations,” TDC said.
TDC also said that since DepEd is considered as largest bureaucracy in the country, its next leader should have necessary knowledge and experience in managing agency’s extensive operations.
“The new secretary will confront complex challenges, manage extensive resources, implement policies affecting some 47,000 schools and 1 million personnel and initiate reforms that will impact entire educational sector,” TDC pointed out.
TDC also said next DepEd chief should have “teacher’s heart,” meaning he or she comes from academe or at least has an experience in public school teaching.
“Such a background ensures that new secretary has firsthand experience with daily challenges faced by teachers and students, providing deeper understanding and empathy for their situations… new secretary should have teacher’s heart,” TDC said.
TDC, however, clarified despite its preference for candidates possessing these three qualifications, it is not endorsing any specific individual, particularly from its organization or allied organizations.
“Regardless of who the President appoints, we vow that we will continue to engage with DepEd to improve our education system…our focus remains advocating for better policies for teachers, single most important factor in education,” TDC said.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), for its part, said resignation of Duterte as DepEd chief has finally freed agency of an “inept” leader, contrary to claim of former presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo that she had been productive.
“Education sector, in fact, has finally been freed from grip of agency head who, for two years, miserably failed in addressing learning crisis and resolving massive shortages in teachers, classrooms, education support personnel and teaching and learning resources,” ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua said in statement.
“Her declared accomplishments in her two Basic Education Reports barely scratched surface of declining state of education as schools remain overcrowded, understaffed, underfunded and neglected, while teachers and education workers continue to be overworked, underpaid and undersupported,” he said.
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