FOLLOWING the resignation of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte as Education Secretary, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should appoint a non-politician or a non-partisan figure as the new head of the Department of Education (DepEd). This, the TDC said, it would ensure that DepEd is “spared from political bickering and being dragged into divisive political fighting.”
In a statement on Thursday, the group said, “We call on our president to ensure that the next DepEd secretary appointed is not a politician or actively involved in partisan politics.”
It added: “Aside from this, the next secretary should be an excellent manager since that person will be managing the largest bureaucracy in the country, with the most personnel, the most geographically dispersed, and the greatest resources.”
They added that they also hope that the next secretary comes from the academe, or at the very least, has experience teaching in a public school.
“Someone who has lived through the daily experiences of teachers and students, grasps the situation on the ground, and whose heart is truly a teacher’s. We expect the president to consider the opinions and sentiments of teachers and the public education sector,” the group added.
The TDC said that they were not surprised by Duterte’s resignation as DepEd Secretary, “given the country’s political climate.”
“What we did not expect was for the resignation to happen today (June 19),they said.
The DepEd employees’ union, meanwhile, has expressed worries that the resignation of Duterte comes at a critical juncture for the agency.
While Duterte’s decision is respected, the DepEd National Employees Union (DepEd-NEU) said, her resignation “inevitably brings about concerns and uncertainties among educators, learners, and parents.”
“It is crucial to address these concerns promptly to maintain the stability and integrity of our educational system,” the group said.