PSS distributes 72 chairs to schools

The Public School System yesterday distributed 72 chairs to schools that complained of lack of chairs and desk during the opening of the new school year last Wednesday.

PSS is distributing 20 chairs each for Oleai Elementary School and San Antonio Elementary School, 17 for Koblerville Elementary School and 15 to William S. Reyes Elementary School.

Associate commissioner for administrative services David M. Borja said yesterday morning that the central office would be getting the chairs from the defunct Northern Marianas College Laboratory School at Fina Sisu. He said the former lab school contains the right size of the chairs for the elementary schools.

WSR Elementary School principal Alfred Ada said they needed more chairs due to the increase of students in his school. WSR only had 620 students last school year and now they have a total of 636 students.

Borja said the increase at the Marianas High School is being handled well by vice-principal Karen Borja and her management staff. He said what MHS is more concerned about is the shortage of teachers. He earlier said Marianas High School incurred the most increase. He said MHS has gained a 200-student increase from its previous population of 1,200 students.

He said the vice principal called PSS to follow up on the request for the five additional teachers. Borja said he was able to speak with PSS director for human resources Charlie Kenty about the requirements. Borja said two recommendations have been processed now and more potential candidates have been forwarded to the Human Resource office.

AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEM

Ada said the opening of classes was not that bad but one of the challenges the school is facing is the problem with its air conditioning units. He said each classroom used to have two air conditioning units working, but now at least one unit per room is down. “Air conditioning in our school site is terrible.”

He said the air conditioning units must be replaced because they are rusted and are already five years old.

“It has seen better days,” he said. Ada said he has gathered quotations for the airconditioning units but he said he is wondering where to get the funding for this. He said he had sent letters of solicitations to the lawmakers to help WSR out in this dilemma.

Representatives Oscar Babauta and Jess Lizama, Ada said, responded to his letter and have asked him to canvass for prices of air conditioning units.