GES students spilling over to the nearby MIHA homes

For the past years, several students enrolled at the Garapan Elementary School have been occupying MIHA units adjacent to the school campus due to a shortage of available classrooms.

It is for this reason that the Public School System insists that it needs $922,960 in Compact Impact funds for the construction of about six new classrooms at the school to meet the demands of a growing student population.

“The Garapan Elementary School expansion project will help alleviate the overcrowding at GES, which has a growing school enrollment of 875 students,” education commissioner Rita H. Inos and Board of Education chair Roman Benavente said in their letter to Gov. Juan N. Babauta.

Three of the school’s kindergarten classes and two first grade classes are among those who have been occupying units at the MIHA housing area.

According to acting education commissioner Dr. David Borja, the project is listed in PSS’s seven-year capital improvement project plan and has been one of its priority projects.

Borja said the reason the mentioned classes are occupying units outside the school campus is because of overcrowding, citing that the school was designed to accommodate about 600 students only.

“I’m glad we have the housing to accommodate the students, but our main goal is to bring the kids back to campus where they really belong,” Borja said during an interview yesterday. “

Borja reiterated that the PSS is “budget driven” and the only reason the expansion of the school has yet to become a reality is because of lack of funds.

“We need to address the [school’s] population and the needs of the community,” he said.

A source said all classrooms at the school are currently occupied, with the exception of one classroom, which sustained damage from previous typhoons. The source said the classroom is not safe because it “really got wet.”

Meanwhile, other projects in the PSS seven-year CIP priority list for Saipan and the Northern Islands are the construction of another school campus for Kagman Elementary School costing about $6.5 million; Saipan Head Start ($1.49 million); Dandan Elementary School expansion ($920,220); Kagman High School expansion ($4.143 million); Saipan Southern High School expansion ($4.48 million); San Vicente Elementary School ($1 million); Koblerville Elementary School ($576,850); As Matuis Elementary School ($6.5 million); Oleai Elementary School ($922,960); Tanapag Elementary School ($379,240); Hopwood Junior High School ($2.5 million); Marianas High School ($350,000); Marpi Secondary School ($7 million); Northern Islands ($950,000).

Projects for Rota include Head Start ($417,690); Sinapalo Elementary School expansion and sports facilities ($4.66 million); and Sinapalo Jr. and Sr. High School ($6.63 million).

Projects for Tinian include Head Start ($127,300) and Tinian Elementary School ($498,500).

In all, the seven-year list shows a cost of almost $51 million for all projects combined.

Borja disclosed that additional classrooms are currently in their design phase before construction at both Kagman high and elementary schools.

“The projects fit the available funds being identified for us and request for assistance is being met by elected leaders,” he said.

He said there is need for expansion at the Kagman schools due to the projected increase in enrollment in the future.