President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday admitted difficulty in choosing the next Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary after Vice President Sara Duterte stepped down from her cabinet position.
“Simply put, yes I struggled to choose because the work of DepEd is very complicated,” Mr. Marcos said, citing the importance of selecting the right candidate due to the role’s complexity.
“We have to see, really, what the DepEd needs. Of course, there are many calls for the new secretary to be an educator. There are many calls for the new secretary to be an administrator. There are new calls for a historical professor,” Marcos said.
“All of these, and they are all valid concerns. That’s what education is all about,” he added.
The President highlighted the need to improve the country’s test scores, for a leader who can support both students and teachers, and finding a candidate who can navigate the department’s bureaucracy and manage its budget effectively.
“I’m not going to let you tie me down to anything. We’re looking at everyone. We don’t make a shortlist,” Marcos said upon being asked about the shortlist for the position.
Earlier this week, the President said he would name a new Education chief by the weekend after Duterte tendered her resignation on June 19.