BOE: DPW’s TSD is understaffed

The Board of Education said the Department of Public Works’ Technical Service Division is understaffed in helping the schools, especially when evaluating old and crumbling facilities of the Public School System.

Board secretary and treasurer Marja Lee Taitano said during the last special board meeting held at the PSS BOE conference room on July 27 that the division lacks support staff during assessment of the school facilities. She said the problem is observed whenever PSS requests for assessment for any needed renovation of school facilities.

During the meeting, board member Herman T. Guerrero agreed and said DPW is inefficient in this endeavor. He said the PSS is completing all the work for DPW during assessments. “We are doing all the works for DPW, what they’re supposed to do,” he said. He said this is because TSD is short of staff.

Taitano said every time they would work with the TSD staff they would end by reporting to the school that their assessment is complete even if it is not. “Don’t say it’s complete. We don’t get our money’s worth,” she said.

The TSD also does not report clearly the results of its assessments of the facilities. PSS CIP coordinator Elizabeth S. Balajadia cited as for example that one of the buildings at Marianas High School is termite-infested and, according to its principal James Denight, the building is unsafe.

She said the PSS requested DPW to inspect the building but DPW never responded. “They didn’t say it’s unsafe,” she said.

Balajadia reported during the meeting that the cash-strapped PSS would be releasing bid bulletins for the renovation and construction of classrooms on five public schools in the CNMI, including one on Rota. She said she also coordinates with the DPW with regards to these projects.

She said the education system is now keen on improving some of the islands’ school facilities based on last school year’s budget appropriation.

She said PSS would be improving the drainage system at Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School, and six classrooms will be constructed on Rota Junior High School, Kagman Elementary School, and Kagman High School. The cafeteria of San Vicente Elementary School will also be improved.

The funding for the renovations and construction of classrooms would come from the following: Hazard Mitigation under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Food and Nutrition and Service, and bond interests, said Balajadia.