PSS could have done more for education • Unfulfilled promises by gov't cost public education sector $185-M
Summing up all funding requests which the CNMI government failed to grant the Public School System within the last 13 years, PSS could have spent over $185 million more for public education, according to PSS’ 13-year budget history.
Though PSS, which is entitled to 15 percent of the CNMI’s annual revenues, has been getting substantially more than the pegged percentage, major differences can be noted on the system’s budget requests versus what the government actually afforded them.
In 1996 alone, the PSS budget history recorded a $44 million difference between its $74 million budget request and the $33 million which was granted to the autonomous agency. This was the year where PSS did not get its full 15 percent guarantee from the government’s total revenues.
That same year, PSS was also under a continuing resolution similar to this year and several years back (FYs 1993, 1994, and 1998).
When the school system requested for $76.8 million in Fiscal Year 1998, it was only granted $42 million that whole year.
Meanwhile, PSS only scored highest in 1994 when it was able to acquire 21.32 percent out of the over all CNMI budget.
A main factor which contributes to the inconsistency of funding proposals during the past years was the change in the composition of Board of Education members, a PSS official explained. Some seats in the board are elective posts.
Each set of board members asked for the amount which they viewed as ideal to acquire the necessary classrooms, teachers, and materials.
While other boards batted for the highest possible funding they could get, others observed some limits based on “realities” and the CNMI revenues accessible at particular points within the last 13 years, said a PSS official.
The current board has decided not to request for everything they could but instead is focused on the right amount which will afford PSS to retain its existing educational programs, its student population, payroll expenses and so forth.
It is projected that PSS will need some $45.5 million to be able to smoothly operate in the next fiscal year. (MM)
