Illiteracy in the Northern Marianas

At Issue: The head of Adult Basic Education at NMC warns of the increase of high school dropouts here.

Our View: It is a serious warning that the Northern Marianas Community can no longer ignore.

Over the years, we have heard passionate complaints of “too many guest workers” here.
In the same breath, we directly fuel this inadequacy by the obvious neglect of high school students at brink of failure.

It is at this critical stage that these students need assistance. The stigma of failure stays with them for the rest of their lives–if we allow them to slide into dropping out of school. Indeed, we lay blame of neglect on the part of teachers and school administrators. We are consistently in self-denial that more than half of this problem begins at the home front.

It behooves both sides of the equation to step forward in proactive fashion to assist failing students learn the basic foundation to prepare them for acquisition of lifetime skills.

Perhaps the rat-race of modernity has forced parents to ignore special problems of their high school kids. But unless you fulfill your share of responsibility, your kid(s) may slide into helplessness and grim vision of their future because you have failed to step-in at their most critical fragile juncture as young adults.

This problem is nothing new nor is it limited to students in these isles. It’s a nationwide problem fueled daily by new fads, i.e., use of drugs, the emergence of a casual attitude about sex, among others.

We’re not saying parents must constantly trail the whereabouts of their children with a baseball bat. Far from it, but then you need to partake in your children’s growth process which includes communicating with them about their problems and concerns. You just can’t leave this aspect to classroom teachers, counselors and school administrators.

The quiet self-denial that is common among local families or parents no longer works.
Either you step-in and help your children deal with new challenges in their lives as young adults, or suffer the consequence of their dropping out of school. It isn’t a healthy thing to see, but unless you take proactive attitude to be of help, their future may be shut forever in illiteracy.

Illiteracy is a social problem of the Northern Marianas Community. It would be a very sad thing to allow it to flourish under the notion that there’s the grand safety net under NMC’s Adult Basic Education. As parents, you play a key role in your children’s success. Our children need that strong pillar of filial strength from their parents. Let’s take charge! Si Yuus Maase`!