Investing in education

It is with a combination of many feelings that I write to comment on Anthony Pellegrino’s columns on “Wanted: Literate Employees for Immediate Employment.” I am pleased that he advocates support for adult education in literacy and numeracy. At the same time, I was surprised and disappointed that he dismisses the current adult education courses offered here at Northern Marianas College and through Karidat and Islands of Beauty.

Not only has the Adult Basic Education program been providing literacy and numeracy education here in the CNMI for 25 years, but we also have an Adult School program modeled on the very Hawaii program Pellegrino likes so much. He should remember, he helped establish the program. While current efforts are modest due to funding constraints, more community and government support could correct that. I applaud Mr. Pellegrino for pointing out the need to expand what is offered.

The biggest problem, however, as any businessman should know, is that beginning wages for almost any entry level private sector job are kept artificially low by the importation of nonresident workers. It is difficult to persuade adults to invest in their own education when they cannot see financial advantages from doing so.

The whole field of vocational education, which everyone always pays lip service to, has been castrated by the fact that no decent jobs will be available for those who invest the time and effort to successfully complete the program. Politicians always promise those jobs after the participants are trained, but students are smart enough to want to see them before they invest their time and money in training.

The solution is two-fold: first, begin the planned reduction of nonresident workers to create a labor shortage and drive wages to a level that will attract residents, and second, provide expanded adult and vocational education opportunities to assist residents in acquiring skills necessary to do the relevant jobs. Attractive jobs must exist first before we can expect others to make an effort to be trained for them.

Our politicians, community and business leaders need to involve those of us in education about these issues. We have one advantage over all of them every day we deal with the people they only talk about: young adults who are trying to find a way to improve their lives and those of their children. Education and training are only some of the answers, real opportunity and chances for advancement are the others.

After all, how much time, money and effort would you spend to be able to earn $3.15 an hour?

Fe Calixterio