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Students shaken by financial crisis
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Posted on Dec 30 1998
As student representative to the Board of Education, Merced Ada knows that the current financial crisis experienced by the Public School System and all the agencies is creating fears among students.
“I think the students are as scared as the teachers. It’s kind of sad on the part of the students because it takes a crisis for them to see what’s going on,” she told Saipan Tribune.
Ada said she does not believe that PSS has been given priority, arguing that the school system was underfunded even before the austerity program began.
She said: “The PSS has been notorious for not getting enough supplies. Yes, we have the classrooms, but we don’t have enough books. PSS never had enough traditionally. We just hope that this will not move us backward.”
Even if the Board of Education has shelved a planned 10 percent salary cut, she said, the departure of nonteaching personnel in March continues to threaten the schools.
“You can’t man the schools without custodians. I don’t think they can keep the schools running,” Ada said.
Youth representative Andrew Borja, a junior at Marianas High School, suggested that students be tapped if schools come shorthanded with people to clear the school grounds or clean the toilets.
“Probably on one Saturday, the entire student body can come out to clean the school,” he said.
Borja also said that school organizations may launch fund-raising campaigns to raise money to pay for school supplies.
