Maestra Sara

Naming presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte to head the Department of Education offered a window on the priority of the Marcos administration, which would appropriately be paving the way for the reemergence of schools from the long hiatus forced by the pandemic.

Of the sectors dislocated by the coronavirus disease, the worst hit were schools, primarily private education institutions, which were decimated by the quarantine restrictions that required distance education.

The remote scheme failed miserably due to the logistics inadequacy, such as the poor quality of Internet in most parts of the country, along with the inability of teachers to supervise the progress of students.

The hiatus of about two years of remote learning also presented the danger of creating a generation of Filipinos who practically live in the unrestricted virtual world, where lies abound and human interaction does not exist.

Imagine a generation where one can reach their offspring only through a social media message even if the child is right beside you. It is indeed frightening.

Inday Sara’s strong will, which in some accounts said may even surpass that of her father, is needed to kickstart the education sector back to normal.

As Davao City mayor, her priority was to invest heavily in the education sector, particularly in providing for scholarship to the youth who exhibits promise.

Inday Sara’s local administration helped poor children finish college and allowed them to achieve their dreams.

The Davao City government even funded medical school scholarships starting in 2016 that produced three doctors thus far.

Medical education is considered, along with law, as the most expensive course and within reach of only the upper middle class and rich households. The reform-minded mayor indicated that it should not be so and opportunity should be given the poorest students who dream of being a doctor.

The three doctors from Inday Sara’s scholarship were members of the indigenous people communities.

Schools also mushroomed in Davao City with more than 100 new classrooms built since 2016 when she started her term as mayor.

Inday Sara’s advocacy for inclusive education where all Filipinos will have the opportunity to realize their best potentials will thus be realized throughout the country.

“Our country needs a future generation of patriotic Filipinos that advocate peace and discipline in their respective communities,” she said.

Inday Sara’s philosophy is that the youth in turn has the responsibility to give back to his nation by contributing to its progress and order, instead of allowing themselves to become fodder of political or ideological groups.