After Vice President Sara Duterte resigned from her position as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), the question remains: Who will step in to lead the country's largest bureaucracy?

For an anti-abuse youth group, the new DepEd Secretary must “champion safe spaces.”

Enough Is Enough Ph (EIE), on Thursday, June 20, called on the Malacanang to appoint a DepEd secretary that can “competently address campus sexual harassment.”

In a statement, they argued that DepEd under Sara Duterte was “consistent in its silence and inaction in addressing the pressing issue of sexual abuse and harassment in campuses.”

“During her stint as Education secretary, Duterte treated the issue of on-campus sexual abuse as a public relations problem instead of a systemic one,” said EIE Lead Convenor Sophie Reyes.

The group alleged that Duterte has “done nothing” to ensure safe spaces in schools. “What we need is a DepEd Secretary ready to stand behind victim-survivors and punish campus predators and enablers,” Reyes said.

To show his “sincerity” in addressing the concerns of the Filipino youth, the group also asked President Marcos to “not accept any political appointees or personal friends” as DepEd secretary. “We will not settle for anything less,” Reyes said.

A teacher's heart

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), in a statement on June 19, also urged President Marcos to ensure that the next DepEd secretary appointed is “not a politician or actively involved in partisan politics.”

TDC said that having an Education Secretary who is not involved in politics will help “ensure that DepEd is spared from political bickering and being dragged into divisive political fighting.”

Aside from not being a politician or involved in partisan politics, TDC said that the next secretary should be an “excellent manager” since he or she will be managing DepEd, the largest bureaucracy in the country — with the most personnel, the most geographically dispersed, and the greatest resources.

“We also hope that the next secretary comes from the academe, or at the very least, has experience teaching in a public school,” TDC said.

The group also noted that the next DepEd Chief should be “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.”

TDC expressed hope that President Marcos will “consider the opinions and sentiments of teachers and the public education sector” in choosing the next DepEd Secretary. 

Duterte announced her resignation on June 19. 

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https://mb.com.ph/2024/6/19/vp-sara-says-resignation-from-marcos-cabinet-not-a-sign-of-weakness

While she did not cite any specific reason for her decision to quit her post as DepEd Secretary, TDC said that they anticipated her resignation “given the country's political climate.”

Swift appointment

While it respects Duterte’s decision to resign as DepEd Secretary, the advocacy group Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), in a separate statement issued on June 19, expressed hope that President Marcos will announce her replacement soon.

“We strongly urge for the swift selection and appointment of a new Secretary of Education to ensure a seamless transition and prevent any disruption in the education of our children,” PBEd said.

“The continuity of leadership in the DepEd is crucial in light of the upcoming school year and pressing needs of our learners amidst the ongoing crisis,” it added. PBEd noted that the reforms under the MATATAG Agenda, which it has welcomed, must be “pursued without interruption.”

These plans, PBEd noted, are vital in “addressing the critical issues hounding our basic education system.”

PBEd stressed that the future of Filipino children and the strength of the nation’s workforce depend on the stability and effectiveness of educational leadership.

“Let us put the needs of our learners foremost and ensure that the strides made in education reform will continue to be pursued despite administrative uncertainties,” PBEd said.

Accountability

For its part, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines underscored the importance of accountability for the next DepEd Secretary.

“Whoever replaces her has a big mess to clean up, but we have learned not to place our hopes on politicians and government officials,” ACT said in a separate statement.

“We will continue to resolutely fight for the welfare of our teachers, students, and education support personnel, and hold accountable whoever is sitting for their duties to the education sector,” the group added.

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