THE Teachers’ Dignity Coalition reiterated its call that the next Department of Education Secretary should not be a politician to avoid being dragged into “political fighting”.

“We call on our president to ensure that the next DepEd secretary is not a politician or actively involved in partisan politics. This is to ensure that DepEd is spared from political bickering and being dragged into divisive political fighting,” TDC chairperson Benjo Basas said on Monday.

This call came after the resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio as DepEd head last Wednesday (19 June 2024).

Basas highlighted that the primary consideration and focus of the new secretary should be on educational advancement rather than political agenda.

“Aside from this, the next secretary should be an excellent manager since that person will be managing the largest bureaucracy in the country. This individual will oversee the department with the most personnel, the most geographically dispersed operations, and the greatest resources,” he said.

The TDC chairperson stressed the importance of appointing someone from the academe or with experience in public school teaching.

“This person must have firsthand experience with the daily challenges faced by teachers and students,” Basas pointed out.