Contracts do not guarantee lifetime work: Inos

As concerns over contracts continued to persist in the Public School System, Commissioner of Education Rita H. Inos is appealing to both certified and non-certified personnel to stick with their respective employment terms.

“Why all of a sudden everybody is interested about contracts? We don’t see contracts as contracts but something to ensure as of lifetime employment,” she said during a committee meeting yesterday with members of the Board of Education.

According to Inos, her own contract with PSS will expire in year 2002 and she expects to get a 90-day notice before it ends. This is automatic for employment contracts and she’s surprised that employees do not prepare for this deadline.
For most non-certified personnel, their contract will end in May. While the contracts of a number of the teachers will expire this June 18.

“This is just a date to help them understand,” she added.

Board Chairman Esther Fleming told Inos that she has been a recipient of numerous calls from anxious employees. This uncertainty about the future also poses problems on recruitment for PSS, she said.

“I am really uncomfortable when we go out to recruit teachers on what we are going to offer, like three months,” she said.

However, PSS may not need to go off-island for recruitment come June. In fact, as of to date, PSS is still not in the position to hire.

For those critical vacant positions, Inos will look within PSS. She told the board that a number of teacher aides will complete their teaching degrees this May to fill some of the vacancies. While the CNMI is also expecting graduates from the Teacher’s Academy Program this year.