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Cost of education per student drops
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Posted on Apr 28 2000
The Public School System currently spends less than $4,000 to send one child to school, Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos recently disclosed, noting a decline in the education cost per student in the last three years.
According to Dr. Inos, this has been due to certain adjustments PSS has had to contend with based on availability of funds.
In School Year 1996-97, PSS spent some $4,629 for each student with over 9,954 students to subsidize. The following school year, PSS student enrollment recorded some 9, 246 where average cost per child lowered to $4,500.
With a total student enrollment of 9,496 during SY 1998-99, average spending per student further dipped to some $3,997.
Dr. Inos said the current cost per student living under the PSS continuing resolution has yet to be determined, but preliminary estimate by the education officials places it at $4,000.
She also stressed that education needs in 1997 are not the same as it is today.
“Individual students have different needs,” she said.
Dr. Inos continued that one cannot put an absolute price on the cost of education per student, as each student has unique needs.
Rep. Tom Pangelinan, a member of the House Committee on Education, said it is about time the CNMI go beyond funding its education programs based on availability of funds.
“It’s time we fund them in terms of needs. After all, education is a long term investment,” said Mr. Pangelinan.
Rep. Rosiky F. Camacho also said if the government were to fund the school system in terms of cost per student, it would take more than a 10 percent increase in its current 15 percent fiscal year budget.
Mr. Rosiky was referring to the House’s proposed legislative initiative to increase PSS’s yearly percentage allotment to 25 percent.
