ARMM gov appoints new regional DepEd chief; hires 192 teachers

Mujiv Hataman ARMM governor

COTABATO CITY—Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has named his executive secretary as the new regional secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).

Hataman also announced the hiring of 192 new teachers for deployment to Sulu.

Lawyer Rasol Mitmug Jr. replaced Dr. John Magno, who resigned on Thursday. Hataman signed Mitmug’s appointment on the same day.

Hataman also signed the appointment papers and deployment orders of teachers who will be teaching in various public elementary and secondary high schools in Sulu.

Hataman was assisted by Dr. Tim Undain-Sanchez, the Sulu schools division superintendent, in signing the appointment papers of the newly hired mentors.

The hiring process, Hataman said, had seen the teachers undergo a screening process that included validation of their credentials, comprehensive examination, a teaching demonstration, and a panel interview.

The screening process, he said, was aimed at finding good quality teachers.

“I don’t know you personally but you were appointed based on your competence,” Hataman told the new teachers. “Hiring of teachers in ARMM is based on competence not whom you know,” he added.

He then challenged the teachers to prove he made the right decision in hiring them.

“If education does not improve in Sulu, that means I erred in appointing you,” Hataman added.

He said he had created a special body to monitor the performance of the newly hired teachers and warned them he would not think twice in removing them from work if they failed his expectation.