COTABATO CITY — The newly-designated secretary of the Department of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) said recruitment of teachers follow high standards and only those who are qualified would get the appointment.
DepEd-ARMM Secretary Rasol Mitmug Jr, said Sunday his office filled out all vacant teaching positions of the ARMM provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan in time for the school opening in June.
“Only licensed applicants willing to work in far-flung areas shall be considered for employment,” Mitmug said in a statement.
Mitmug, a lawyer, was appointed by ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman last week after his predecessor’s resignation last December. He was Hataman’s chief of staff prior to his DepEd assignment.
Hataman has been addressing underdevelopment in impoverished areas through extensive educational interventions. Mitmug said teaching applicants must pass rigid examinations required to test their competencies and mental abilities.
“Teachers play a key role in community-building, in nation-building, so we have to make sure that the teachers we are to hire are qualified and committed to helping address illiteracy in remote areas in the autonomous region,” Mitmug said.
Last January 4, Hataman appointed 192 teachers for Sulu and 75 more for Maguindanao in an effort to address the problem of lack of teachers while the number of enrollees continues to rise.
Hataman also ordered an investigation on reports that some teacher-applicants in Sulu have previously received their deployment orders. He asked how can an applicant be deployed to public schools when he or she had no appointment yet. (PNA)
