Who will head the DepEd?

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Managing Editor ANTONIETA B. LOPEZ Business Editor ODETTE MONTELIBANO Desk Editor MARY ANN BARCELONA Advertising Coordinator RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete

ANDRES R. LEONARDIA Managing Director

The report that lobbying is now going on for the position of secretary of the Department of Education is disturbing, to say the least.

While it is true that this very vital department has been operating for about half a year now without a formally appointed head, it is not reassuring to the entire department to see that its new secretary may not be someone who is from the academe, or even one who is knowledgeable about its functions and its mission, but someone who has gotten the post because of strong lobbying, or because of political patronage.

As everyone knows, the DepEd was "orphaned" in July last year when then Secretary Florencio Abad, upped and quit his office, together with nine other top officials of the government. Their action had resulted from their disgust over the discovery that their highest official had been recorded as speaking to a commissioner of the Commissioner on Election, ostensibly to ensure her victory by a wide margin.

Since then, the DepEd has been run by one of its career officials who, however, must not have met the standards demanded by the President and has to be replaced. Even this, in a way, shows how personal or political considerations could come in even in the choice of the head of such an important agency of the government. The confirmation through media reports that there is indeed, lobbying going on for the filling of the post, further dismays those who have been hoping that, for once, a true academician, or one who has the background, experience and qualifications to make a difference in the sad state of education in the country today, will be chosen.

There are charges that the presidential appointments recently are all part of a payback scheme that benefits those who have made themselves useful to the President during the last election. That could, perhaps, be tolerated as far as several other agencies are concerned. As for the Education Department, get the one who can truly make a difference, please.*