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La Fiesta Jr./Sr. High School seen in Jan. 2006
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Posted on Apr 27 2005
The Office of the Governor’s proposed Junior and Senior High School at the La Fiesta Mall is seen to be completed by January 2006.
Public School System associate commissioner David M. Borja said the target date was proposed during the special Board of Education meeting last Friday at the Pacific Resources for Education and Learning Center at the Marianas High School.
He said that governor’s special adviser Robert Schwalbach presented the proposal to the board, during which he also confirmed the government’s intention to make PSS lease the facility at no cost.
Also, Schwalbach reportedly said the governor’s office would shoulder the expenses for the renovation and furnishing of the new school.
He said the Governor’s Office had looked at the PSS’ seven-year plan, which included building a new school at the Marpi area. This made them decide to propose the mall for the new school.
“PSS will be a tenant at zero cost for a 19-year lease,” said Borja, adding, though, that the new school would need funding for the teachers and other operational costs. He said the new school would require an estimated additional $1.9 million for additional staff.
He expressed hope that before the 19-year lease expires, a new school would have already been built at the Marpi area.
The projected number of students for this project is about 500, said Borja.
He said the proposed school could solve the overcrowding problem at Kagman High School and Chacha Junior High School. Students enrolled in both schools are mostly from within the La Fiesta Mall area all the way to Marpi area.
Borja said the proposal eyes 6th graders from Tanapag and San Roque, and 7th to 11th graders from the Kagman schools. He said the excess students would total 480 students.
He said Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos was “theoretically” tasked by the board to put together a task force that will work with the Governor’s Office and discuss the feasibility of the project.
Borja said that, in order for the project to happen, everything would require a concerted effort from the Governor’s Office and the PSS.
