President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his speech at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, before flying to Brunei Darussalam for an official visit. INQUIRER.net/Ryan Leagogo
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. admitted that it’s challenging to pick the next head of the Department of Education (DepEd) and gave himself more time to decide.
Marcos also acknowledged as “valid concerns” various sector’s call for him to name an educator, administrator, or historical professor as the next DepEd chief.
However, he noted there is no shortlist for the next DepEd secretary as he is looking at everyone qualified.
“It turns out it’s harder than I thought because we absolutely have to get it right. So I’m giving myself more time,” he said, contrary to his earlier statement that he would name the new education head by the end of the week.
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“And that is why, I’ve gone through so many CVs [curriculum vitae]. Many of them are great. It’s…we have to choose somebody who has an understanding of what is important in terms of being an educator.”
“But then we also have to find, the same person has to have those qualities that can galvanize this very, very large democracy, which is the DepEd, and to achieve all of those gains, or all of those changes, to make the educational standard better,” he also said in an ambush interview with reporters on the sidelines of an alliance agreement signing event of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and National Unity Party in Makati City on Saturday.
He likewise emphasized the need for a DepEd leader who understands the country’s academic performance issues, as reflected in previous test scores.
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“Ang lagi naman nating tinitingnan ang mga test score natin. We have to bring up the test scores, we all know that. So you need an educator who understands how to help the students, how to help the teachers,” he said.
(We always look at our test scores. We have to bring up the test scores, we all know that. So you need an educator who understands how to help the students, and how to help the teachers.)
“So, there are many people who understand that, who are experts, really, in the education sector. But then, how do you achieve that? That requires a very good hand on the pillar of the DepEd, who can manage it properly, who understands the bureaucracy, who understands how to use the budget properly, all of these things,” he added.
On June 19, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte submitted her resignation as DepEd chief and vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. Her resignation will take effect on July 19.