House moves to strengthen free public education • Proposed bill seeks to amend 12-year-old aducation act

A proposal to make free public education mandatory for children between the ages of five and 18 years old was set into motion yesterday under legislation aimed at strengthening the roles of the Public School System and the Board of Education.

The House of Representatives passed during its session HB 12-158 that seeks to amend the education act enacted almost 12 years ago in an effort to enhance CNMI’s educational policies, with provisions refining the duties and responsibilities of PSS and BOE.

If it becomes a law, the measure will raise the age limit for free education from 16 to 18 as well as allow five-year-old children to begin their schooling. It is now up for Senate vote.

Sponsored by House Committee on Education and Welfare chair Rep. Malua T. Peter, the bill came a year after education officials expressed concern over lack of funding for the kindergarten program here.

Under the present constitutional provisions, the government is only mandated to grant free education to children between the age of six to 16, which leaves the program in jeopardy during times of budgetary constraints.

BOE had hoped to change the mandate to include younger children attending kinder classes in public schools when the program was confronted with serious financial crisis last year.

This would have assured continuity of the program even when funds run out, according to officials. But since five-year old kids are not part of the mandatory requirement, they have not been given the same priority as the elementary and secondary students.

PSS’ early childhood learning program in recent years has asked at least $800,000 in local funding to cover personnel costs and another $200,000 for the free transportation of about 600 kids attending kinder classes.

In view of the financial crisis besetting the government, CNMI leaders fear that local resources are not just enough to ensure the delivery of even basic services such as public education and health programs.

In other major provisions of HB 12-158, lawmakers will transfer to the board accountability and control over capital improvement projects that are now being undertaken by PSS.

The current law grants that authority to the Department of Public Works. BOE, under the proposed change, will also be empowered to oversee school properties and maintenance of facilities, like equipment and vehicles.

PSS, on the other hand, will be responsible in providing school buses for both public and private schools, according to the bill which also seeks to require proof of immunization for all students in the CNMI every year, and not just during the first enrollment.

Other amendments proposed to the education act include full U.S. accreditation for all public high schools on the islands as well as mandatory teaching of Chamorro and Carolinian language and cultural programs in the elementary schools.