Teachers want non-politician as next DepEd secretary

A GROUP of teachers yesterday called on Malacanang to appoint a “non-politician” to the post of Department of Education secretary vacated last week by Vice President Sara Duterte.

Teachers Dignity Coalition national chairperson Benjo Basas said this would spare the department from “political bickering” and ensure the next DepEd chief would focus on addressing the myriad problems facing the country’s basic education sector, ranging from lack of school infrastructure to the dismal performance of Filipino students in international assessment tests.

“We call on our President to ensure that the next DepEd secretary appointed is not a politician or actively involved in partisan politics. This is to ensure that DepEd is spared from political bickering and being dragged into divisive political fighting,” Basas said.

“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,” he added.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, earlier said Sen. Sonny Angara should be the next DepEd chief while Albay Rep. Joey Salceda floated the names of Angara, Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Prospero De Vera and Synergia Foundation chair Milwida “Nene” Guevarra to take Duterte’s place.

Duterte declined to state her reason for resigning as DepEd chief, simply saying it was for the welfare of teachers and students.

Basas said the next DepEd chief should address the problems of basic education as his or her main thrust rather than advancing his or her political agenda or ambition.

“Aside from this, the next secretary should be an excellent manager since that person will be managing the largest bureaucracy in the country. This individual will oversee the department with the most personnel, the most geographically dispersed operations, and the greatest resources,” Basas said.

He also stressed the importance of someone who has experience in public schooling or the academe for him or her to be able to fully understand the problem of basic education and the welfare of the teachers and students.

“We hope that the next secretary comes from the academe, or,