Education department chief no plans of altering poll preparations

EDUCATION Secretary Mona Valisno on Wednesday brushed off fears by some groups that the recent change in leadership in the Department of Education (DepEd) could affect preparations for the May 10 elections.

Valisno, who officially received the mantle of leadership from Jesli Lapus who was named as the new Trade Secretary last Monday, said all programs and policies left by her predecessor, particularly the preparation for the elections will pushed through according to the set timeframe.

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“I have no plans of altering any preparations for the May 10 polls least jeopardizes the smooth flow of the election activities,” Valisno said.

The DepEd and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is currently spearheading the training of teachers on the use of the precinct count optical scan machines (PCOS) to be utilized for the first nationwide automated elections.

About 280,000 teachers will do election duties as chair and members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) this year down from the previous elections of 500, 000 or more.

At the same time, Valisno said she has no reason to tinker with the implementation of other DepEd programs including the resolution of issues and provisions of the Magna Carta for teachers that various teachers group have been pushing.

She added that she will get a briefing on the various DepEd programs in meeting with the department's senior officials and management personnel.

“I will get a briefing on the status of all the negotiations, dialogues, and agreements that have been reached and the next steps that has to be pursued. Instead of spreading baseless rumors, I encouraged everyone to help DepEd realize its objective of helping Filipino children especially the poor realize their dreams through education.”

Valisno said her long experience in the education sector would enable her to understand and address the concern of the basic education system in the country. “I am familiar with all the issues in the education sector as I have been working with them all my life.”

Valisno is the head of the Presidential Task Force on Education from 2008 to 2009 that was tasked to come up with programs to reform the country basic and higher education systems and make it at par with the rest of the world.

She is also a former commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) and also worked for DepEd’s forerunner, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (Decs) and was the founding director of the National Education Testing and Research Center (NETRC).

Earlier, several teachers groups have expressed their concern that the re-shuffle would affect the implementation of reforms set by Lapus.

Fidel Fababier, secretary general of the Action and Solidarity for the Empowerment of Teachers (Assert), said it is doubtful if Valisno can really make a difference in DepEd considering that she has only four months left before a new administration takes place after the May 10 elections.

Fababier said they are apprehensive that their concerns such as lesser working hours and payment of unpaid benefits will be delayed with the change in leadership.

Benjo Basas, president of the 30,000-strong Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) echoed Fabafier’s position, saying they would have to wait and see if Valisno can resolve all the issues confronting the education sector in such as short time despite her experience. (AH/Sunnex)