‘School starts with or without money’

“We are going to start the school with or without the money,” said Public School System associate commissioner for administrative services David M. Borja.

Borja said the education system has to proceed as planned to start the new school year 2005-2006 tomorrow. He said the PSS has no option but “to do less but more” in contrary to the phrase “doing more with less,” said Borja. “We would continue what we need to do.”

Board of Education chairman Roman C. Benavente confirmed yesterday that the Department of Finance fulfilled its promise to transfer of the funds worth $150,000.

Benavente said the Finance office transferred the amount yesterday morning. The amount was part of the $610,000 that the PSS needs to repair schools and is meant to last until September.

Benavente said for the rest of the amount, he would still be setting an appointment with Finance Secretary Fermin Atalig either today or within the week to further discuss the next step with regards to remitting the rest of the requested funding.

He said PSS would now start on spending the remitted money to fix the Kagman High School classroom that was badly burnt and damaged due to burglary late May.

Borja had earlier said that the amount is insufficient to repair the burned classroom, as the school needs at least $160,000 to repair it.

Benavente earlier said that whatever is going to be left from the expected money on Monday would be used on “all other expenses of other schools.” They would still have to identify those other schools, he said.

As for the rest of the amount that PSS needs to support its financial requirements until September—460,000—the BOE will have to follow up on this again, said the BOE chair.

Benavente earlier said the governor assured the board that, as soon as collections come in, the amount requested would be forwarded to PSS.

Benavente said he would also ask PSS now to reassess its priorities in terms of what needs the highest attention. He said PSS has to work on more logical approach in spending money. “We have less money and we would have to be mindful of that.”

Borja said the PSS as of this time still has the funding to pay the salary of the teachers, but they would have to begin teaching the CNMI schoolchildren even without school supplies yet.

Borja said the PSS has no intention to fail the enthusiasm and eagerness of the students who are all excited to go back to school.