PSS says it has no more funds for school opening in August

Education officials have stepped up their call for urgent appropriation, citing that the Public School System has no more funds to open classes in August this year.

In a follow-up letter to the Legislature dated May 2, Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos and Board of Education chair Roman C. Benavente showed how their request for $700,000 in additional funding would be spent for the current fiscal year.

They said they need $200,000 to pay the annual leave of 313 teachers (set at $16 per hour for 40 hours).

Other expenses are:

* $100,000 to pay security guards hired for the Gregorio T. Camacho, Oleai, San Antonio, San Vicente, Dandan, Tanapag, William S. Reyes, Koblerville, and Kagman elementary schools, and Kagman High School;

* $100,000 for the repair and maintenance of 11 buses, including upholstery, cleaning, overhaul, parts replacement, and change oil;

* $50,000 for fuel for the 11 buses, estimated at $9,000 a month in the last remaining months;

* $40,000 for trash collection in the following schools: Garapan, GTC, Oleai, San Vicente, Dandan, Kagman, Tanapag, WSR, and Koblerville elementary schools, Hopwood Junior High School, Chacha Junior High School, Kagman High School, and Saipan Southern High School; and

* $210,000 for minor repairs and maintenance of the schools that must be completed prior to the opening of classes on Aug. 2, 2005.

The work, they said, includes repair or replacement of restrooms, door/locks, airconditioning units, floor maintenance, paint inside and outside classrooms, paint outside/school walks, desks/chairs, lighting fixtures, electrical work, and upgrade of computer in classrooms.

Inos and Benavente said that the $700,000 request is on top of PSS’ regular annual budget of $37.2 million.

“We have no more funds to open school in August. We need your help now and are asking for a piecemeal budget at a net of $700,000 over our $37.2 million ceiling, or a rounded $38 million…,” said the officials.

The letter was addressed to House Ways and Means Committee chair Norman S. Palacios and House Committee on Education chair Justo S. Quigutua.

The officials earlier wrote about the matter to House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial, who then placed the proposed appropriation on the floor last week.

Notwithstanding its political implications, lawmakers cited the need for PSS to provide more details on the issue.

Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider, for one, said that the “unsettled” activities are part of the routine of schools anyway.

He said that, if the problem is with the release of PSS’ quarterly allotments, it is an issue with the administration.

Other lawmakers, such as Reps. Oscar M. Babauta and Quitugua, have also noted that PSS receives a substantial amount of money from the federal government. They cited that PSS gets some $25 million in federal grants a year, plus some rollover funds.

Babauta, in particular, raised the possibility of PSS requesting the grantor to allow it to use federal funds for operations.

PSS stands to get $5.1 million every year for four years beginning this year from Compact impact Funds as promised by Gov. Juan N. Babauta. These funds can be used for repair and maintenance of schools.

At the same time, the administrations seeks to provide PSS its entire budget request of $50 million for FY 2006.

In their letter, Inos and Benavente said that local dollars made available for public education has declined by over $1,400 per child and is $3,500 below the national level.

Further, they noted that PSS has expanded in the last six years, yet its funding remains at the same level.

PSS opened five new schools and increased enrolment by 2,000 in the last six years. Right now, PSS has 11,630 students enrolled in 20 schools.

The PSS’ supplemental budget request is contained in House Joint Resolution 14-32, now pending at Palacios’ committee.