Requena Explains Short Term as Education Minister

Prime Minister John Briceño made some major moves, reassigning several ministers, including Oscar Requena, who’s now heading back to familiar territory as Minister of Rural Transformation. Requena’s shift comes just eight months into the PUP’s second term, and it’s stirring speculation. Was this about performance, or simply part of a broader strategy? It’s no secret that the Prime Minister has flagged education as a key area needing attention. So, with Requena stepping aside and Francis Fonseca now taking over, along with the largest portfolio in Cabinet, the spotlight is on what’s next for the ministry. Today, we caught up with Minister Requena to find out why he’s making the move after such a short stint in Education. Here’s what he had to say.

 

Oscar Requena, Minister of Education

“We serve at the pleasure of the Prime Minister in terms of which portfolio we are assigned to. The Prime Minister, in his wisdom made a decision that he wants me to go back to rural transformation, community development, and local government. I am here to serve wherever the Prime Minister sees it fit. I am prepared to serve. I want to say that I am grateful for the brief opportunity that I had at the Ministry of Education. I want to thank the staff who was there. I want to thank everybody. I want to thank our teachers, the education community for the support that I received, and I will now move on to my new ministry to continue the great work.”

 

Britney Gordon

“What do you think were some of the reasonings behind this move that that is we’re seeing now?”

 

Oscar Requena

“I am not sure. I guess he would be the best person to answer that question. I know that if you were to, follow the social media, I think it, I know the issue was, the teacher’s not getting paid and so on. I can’t speak to why the Prime Minister made that decision. That is solely for him.”