‘Record turnout’ at adult education orientation

Nearly 150 students took part in the Northern Marianas College’s orientation for its adult basic education program last Monday. The islands’ lone tertiary institution said the figure was the largest turnout in the program’s 20-year history.

ABE encourages students to complete their high school diploma so they could go on to college or prepare for a career.

In a statement yesterday, NMC said the orientation was aimed at acquainting new students with not only programs and services at ABE but other programs offered by the college.

In Monday’s orientation, available services were highlighted through presentations made by Felicitas Abraham, acting NMC president and dean of Community Programs and Services, of which the ABE Program is part of; Zenaida Javier, Outreach counselor from the College Access Challenge Grant Program; Manny Castro, Enrollment manager from the Office of Admissions and Records;Daisy Manglona-Propst, financial aid officer from the Financial Aid Office; Heather Santos, program manager from the Career Services Office;Greg Quitugua, Computer Lab supervisor; and Ivan Mereb, ASNMC president.

Also present to talk about military opportunities available to GED completers and Adult High School graduates was Lt. Col. Edward Camacho.

The evening’s keynote speaker, Ursula Aldan, director of the Probation Office, shared her experiences as a GED graduate. She emphasized the importance of self-discovery, self-responsibility, sacrifice, and commitment to the path to success.

The programs and services highlighted in the orientation, NMC said, were meant to increase awareness among ABE students about college admission requirements, financial aid available to support college education, and various services available to help students remain and complete college.

The services covered include counseling, financial aid, tutoring, computer lab assistance, career planning, social activities, and student leadership development.

“Looking at last semester, I’m actually not surprised with the turnout,” said ABE director and GED administrator Lorraine Cabrera, adding that students are becoming more focused on meeting their goals.

In the 20-year history of ABE, the college has recorded “high enrollment” but “low graduation” turnout because students entered in five different components such as English as second language sessions, where majority of foreign students are enrolled.

Other components of the NMC-ABE program include adult basic education for individual adults seeking literacy; adult secondary education for those seeking to earn a high school diploma; family literacy program; and GED Diploma or adult school diploma.

College records showed that, from only 160 enrollees, the figure has grown to over 900 since 1990.

In 1991, there were 10 who successfully made it through the program from an enrollment figure of 196; 21 graduated in 1992 from 201 enrollees; 11 completed in 1993 out of 244; 27 out of 429 students in 1994; 40 out of 430 in 1995; and 29 out of 366 in 1996.

It was in 1997 that the program recorded its highest graduation rate, with 80 students finishing the course out of 358 enrolled.

A high enrollment was also noted in 1998 where 632 entered the program but only 20 made it to the end; 22 were successful at their GED in 1999 when the program had 468 enrollees; 28 out of 527 graduated in 2000; 29 out of 680 in 2001; 49 out of 594 in 2002; 23 out of 475 in 2003; 26 students out of 436 enrollees in 2004; 18 out of 740 in 2005; 19 out of 929 in 2006; and 30 out of 530 potential graduates in 2007.

NMC said the common causes of attrition include the lack of transportation, limited childcare options, and the prioritization of full-time work over attending classes. To mitigate the adverse impact of these, NMC offers ABE classes at various locations throughout the island and students can now take the classes at the As Terlaje campus, Dandan, William S. Reyes, and San Antonio elementary schools, and the Manhoben Center.

For several years, the CNMI ABE program was a federally funded program focused on meeting the educational needs of adult-learners. Its mission is to provide the educationally disadvantaged adults of the community the opportunities to acquire basic skills necessary to function more effectively and productively and to gain upward mobility and provide the opportunities that will enable them to pursue further education. NMC is the designated state recipient of the ABE Insular grant for administrative purposes.