PSS unveils 7 new classrooms

The Public School System unveiled yesterday newly-constructed classroom facilities built to ease student overcrowding in two Saipan public schools, during two separate dedication ceremonies attended by various dignitaries.

Using government-endorsed gold bond funds, PSS with aid from key agencies saw the completion of seven new classrooms for Gregorio T. Camacho and Dandan Elementary Schools.

Project contractor Guam Pacific Power Corporation accomplished three new classrooms for GTC and another four for DES within the set project deadlines, according to PSS.

A total amount of $500,000 was split between the two campuses for the construction, including the installation of collateral equipment for the brand new structures.

School administrators, students, teachers and staff of GTC and DES welcomed guests to their respective schools yesterday, staging a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony in honor of the people and agencies instrumental in the undertaking’s success.

Governor Pedro P. Tenorio, Rep. Brigid Ichihara, Rep. Dino Jones, Board of Education Vice Chair Marja Lee Taitano, BOE CIP Chair Roman Benavente, Acting Education Commissioner Louise Concepcion, members of the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, and other dignitaries led each school community mark the special occasion.

With the completion of another milestone PSS Capital Improvement Project, public schools are expected to meet the demands of its projected student population growth within the next five years.

According to Education leaders, there is no immediate need to build more classrooms for Saipan campuses based on the existing number of facilities that have been put in place.

In 1999 alone, the school system was able to build some 60 new classrooms.

Locally-developed studies conducted for the school system revealed some 32 classrooms on Saipan need to be demolished.

The study, which attempts to gauge the economic outlook of CNMI’s educational system including its infrastructures, further said that in order for PSS to meet the projected student growth through the year 2003, elementary schools need 41 additional classrooms.

But PSS earlier disclosed it has no plans to demolish classrooms, however old they may be.

The economic study further noted that Marianas High School and Hopwood Junior High School needs ten additional classrooms each to accommodate the projected enrollment increase at the said schools.

Schools on Tinian are generally operating above the acceptable level of service standard, according to the economic study.

However, it is has been indicated that 15 Tinian elementary school classrooms need to be demolished.

The recently completed Tinian High School has nine more classrooms than it presently needs, it was learned. In addition, schools on Rota are generally operating above the acceptable level of service standard.

Also magnified in the study is that Rota’s elementary/junior high school has 12 more classrooms than it presently needs.

Despite this, it has been recommended that two classrooms be demolished although its high school has some eight more classrooms than its present school age population requires.