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PSS wins first round to amend charter
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Posted on Dec 14 1998
Rep. Jesus Attao’s move to introduce legislative initiative 11-6 at the lower house has secured the Public School System the first route in amending the Constitution.
The bill is seeking Constitutional amendment to increase the budget guarantee for PSS to 25 percent each year.
The existing Article XV of the CNMI Constitution guarantees PSS 15 percent annually, a local commitment deemed not sufficient in fulfilling its educational mandate for a growing population.
In a letter to Rep. Attao, acting Board of Education Chairman Thomas B. Pangelinan described this legislative initiative as “truly a turning point in the quest to improve the quality of public education in the Commonwealth.”
Pangelinan, who chairs the Committee on Student and Teacher’s Affairs, led efforts to revive this move for Constitutional amendment first sought by former BOE Chairman Don Farell.
As elected members of the Board, he said his group exists free from partisan influence. However, the increase of student population over the years and the budget stays on the same level, the Board has resorted to endless lobbying for financial support. Such discussions distracted its focus on education and opens itself to political pressures.
“Legislative initiative 11-6 will change all that and will once again make it possible for the Board to carry out the true intent of the Constitution, ” he said.
With the pending approval of this legislative initiative, the board has achieved the first round to secure enough funding. The BOE considers two options to amend the existing local commitment, through legislative initiative or direct mandate from the people.
