The Dutertification of education

By Sensei Adorador

The profiling of members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) within the Department of Education is a deeply concerning action, one that can only be attributed to Vice President Sara Duterte’s incompetence as the Secretary of DepEd.

This move bears a striking resemblance to the McCarthyism of the 1950s, a time characterized by the suppression and persecution of individuals with left-wing ideologies.

Given Sara Duterte’s role as the co-vice chairperson of NTF-ELCAC, it becomes apparent that this profiling of teachers is nothing more than an attempt to stifle those who are calling for genuine reform within the education system.

ACT has played an instrumental role in advocating for much-needed changes in the Department of Education, changes that the department itself has failed to recognize as necessary.

Profiling its members can have detrimental consequences on their careers, such as the denial of promotions and privileges within the institution.

It is clear that this is a deliberate strategy employed by the government to silence teachers, preventing them from expressing their concerns and exposing the department’s growing incompetence.

The ongoing issues plaguing our educational system and the lack of quality in education can be attributed to the challenging working conditions faced by teachers, their inadequate salaries, and the burden of unnecessary paperwork.

It is because of these factors that teachers have joined unions that listen to their needs and fight for their rights.

Despite claims by DepEd that no witch hunt has occurred within the department, and that the profiling was intended solely to improve the human resource system, such reasoning is flawed. It is easy to see that this is a classic case of a witch hunt, aimed at suppressing government critics and silencing those who express disappointment with the system.

This action recalls the Third Reich and the rise of Adolf Hitler in 1933. The Nazis took control and sought to reshape German society, which included the indoctrination of Nazi ideology in education.

Teachers were profiled and dismissed if they did not adhere to the Nazi party or join the Nazi Socialist Teacher’s League.

The creeping Nazification of education within the DepEd, through the profiling of ACT members and labeling them as communist sympathizers, aims to exert pressure on them to remain silent.

The government will then introduce a new union that aligns with the ideals of the “New Society,” one that unquestioningly follows authority.

As Duterte consolidates control over the military and police, his daughter will assume authority over the teachers, purging those who do not align with the government’s agenda. It is only a matter of time before this influence extends to labor unions as well.

This is the Dutertification of Education.