CNMI local pool not ready to diversify

Efforts of the Northern Marianas to lure hi-tech investments to relocate in the Free Trade Zone may face rough sailing since the island’s educational system is not prepared to provide the needed support system in diversifying the CNMI economy.

In assessing the capability of the educational institutions in the CNMI, Rep. Heinz Hofschneider said it may take 15 to 20 years before the students can develop the needed skill to work in highly technical type of businesses.

Hofschneider’s assessment came as Hawaii-based economist David McClain cautioned the Northern Marianas against diversifying its economy in hi-tech investments if it does not have a strong educational system and good infrastructure.

According to McClain, a professor of business and financial economics at the College of Business Administration in the University of Hawaii, technology experts would want to relocate in areas where they are assured of a good school system for their children.

One of the reasons why the Free Trade Zone is targeting hi-tech investments is because it will not need a huge pool of manpower who are mostly non-resident workers.

However, Hofschneider expressed concern that locals may still find it hard to be employed since the general population of students are far behind the expected level of achievement that they must reach,

“We have to admit that our educational system is tremendously lagging behind standards,” he said.

However, Northern Marianas College President Agnes McPhetres believes, otherwise.

She said the college has the infrastructure and the knowledge base to face the many requirements of diversification.

“We have the know how. Unfortunately, we are not that accepted yet because we are a small community college. Just because of our size, people think we don’t have it,” she said.

The college saw the need to go hi-tech even before the government moved into this direction. To date, NMC is the only institution of higher education in the Pacific which is wired, she said.

NMC had to lead the way on technology to link the school to the rest of the world and keep the students into the technology groove.

“That’s why we feel that in the future NMC could be the hub of telecommunications and technology training for the Pacific,” she said.

Granting that a knowledge base does exist at NMC, Hofschneider said technocrats should not just focus at the college but look into the entire educational system as a single unit.

“The component of higher education is relevant to the end product of developing highly technical market pool. But if you don’t look at the other half of the component – elementary and secondary education – then it would be far from the truth to say the Commonwealth is in the position to attract hi-tech industry,” he said.

Hofschneider also pointed out that even if there is a small number of people who are computer literate, he doesn’t believe that this group speaks of a rigorous training to face to the hi-tech challenges.

“We don’t have that for the simple reason that we have a weak foundation in the elementary and secondary levels,” he said.

As the chairman of the HEW committee, he admits that it will take ages to revamp the entire educational system.

Unfortunately by that time, issues on hourly wage will probably discourage this type of industry to establish here in the CNMI.