With no upcoming presidential travels, President Bongbong Marcos has one thing sitting atop his tasks: Appoint a new Department of Education secretary. By the 19th of July, Vice President Sara Duterte will have officially stepped down from her cabinet post alongside her role as Vice Chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), in a development that, while not surprising for political pundits, still sent newsrooms and social media into a frenzy.

Anyone with experience working in any real office knows that three weeks is a short timeframe for making gigantic decisions. Finding a willing education minister is tough given the sector’s struggles, but by this point, Filipinos know what would make a capable DepEd leader. As someone who used to teach in public schools, here’s what I think we need to see in the next DepEd secretary.

A REAL educator

A physician heads the Department of Health and a scientist is the Department of Science and Technology chief. Why can’t DepEd have a real teacher as its leader?

Teaching is seen as noble, but it can’t be done with only a good heart as it requires expertise. This also applies to the DepEd secretary. A teacher who has experience in the public school system will have the lens to make decisions that will have an impact on the ground.

A good listener

This author used to work for a for-purpose organization that helps address education challenges. People in the circle always acknowledge that the problems are “wicked” or too complicated, as they stem from various roots and branch out into more subproblems.

So, even if the secretary is a veteran teacher, without the skills of a good listener, DepEd will struggle to craft helpful policies that address new difficulties.

A boat rocker

With the education system in crisis, the status quo has to be challenged. In politics, this is not always easy.

The next education secretary must be willing to challenge the status quo, which can sometimes mean offending peers or even sacrificing political ties.

A clean history

“Sino ba kasi ‘yan?”

“Ay siya ‘yung nanuntok dati!”

Those are just fictional statements — any resemblance to reality is pure coincidence. Still, those are NOT what we want to hear when BBM makes the appointment.

We want to hear more celebrations, not criticisms, when the next secretary is named.

A judicious money manager

Sa mga nagtatanong kung saan pwede maka avail, sa Shopee meron. Meron din tote bag haha! Just search for the magic word “Confidential funds”. pic.twitter.com/QzQXG9ctYw

— JonAraneta (@Jon_Araneta) October 3, 2023

The Philippine constitution mandates that the Education Department should have the highest budgetary priority, which means tons of government resources go through the agency.

The secretary, backed by clean and uncorrupted history, should be a meticulous financial manager who can allocate millions effectively and for more than 11 days.

A capable commander in crisis

Crisis management requires steady leadership, which can be translated into breaking down an overwhelming task into smaller, more doable steps.

It also requires clear communication to navigate crises. When asked a difficult question, the secretary must comment — and lay down the goal that the team seeks to achieve.

A visionary

It takes a grand vision to last in any public office, and to have the gall to actually make a difference.

Without a clear path to success, any skilled official will be overwhelmed by the sector’s overwhelming challenges.

A TRUE uniter

Rocking the boat in education means taking stances that might put a lot of people off. A leader who has the right influence can convince people to drop old, ineffective ways and embrace the new path.

True unity is being comfortable with differences but aligning with the true goal of serving the people.

What are you looking for in the next DepEd secretary? Let us know in the comments!