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Lack of teachers worries Inos
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Posted on Jan 08 1999
Commissioner of Education Rita H. Inos is confident that public schools are ready to open after the holiday break amid concerns of lack of teachers.
“There will be some inconveniences, but as far as opening is concerned, we are in good hands,” she told members of the Board of Education during the fiscal and personnel committee meeting yesterday.
She said retirement and resignations of teachers at Marianas High School, Hopwood Junior High School, William S. Reyes and Garapan elementary schools in December worry her the most.
Last month, five teachers from MHS and Hopwood terminated their contracts with PSS. Some also have retired.
“I have been working with individual schools to see to it that we balance out the services that they require,” she said in an interview. “It is everybody sharing the load.”
A $1.7 million infusion from the governor’s office has averted a 10 percent pay cut and enabled PSS to keep most of its teachers.
“We know that we can make sure that teachers are in the classroom and that they have a paycheck until the end of the year and on to school year 2000,” Inos said.
The PSS will also rely on volunteer work aside from having roving personnel. Inos is set to finalize this month teaching schedules with other government agencies, which are sending off volunteers to PSS.
“Certainly I am not stopping with just a request to the governor (for volunteers),” she said.
