SAEF school downsizes, suspends grade school

Just two years after it acquired the Saipan American Education Foundation, the institution’s president and owner has announced that the school will stop offering third to eighth grade classes this new school year due to the huge losses it has been incurring.

Dr. Johnny Fong, SAEF president and owner, said yesterday that the company cannot sustain current operations due to the hard economic times. He estimated that operation of the elementary level alone has incurred over $50,000 in deficit.

SAEF has been offering kindergarten to eighth grade classes in the last two years.

Last Friday, SAEF employees and teachers were issued memos announcing the management’s decision.

Fong disclosed that starting this new semester, the school will let go of the upper grade levels and will retain only the kindergarten, first, and second grade classes.

He described the decision as tough but the only way to ensure that the school will remain open.

Fong also revealed that the school has no potential enrollees this school year, a concern that he said has already been brought up with teachers before.

In his memo to SAEF employees, Fong said: “It has been my plan for a while to stop the school operations for the grade school levels and now it is of much importance to confer this issue to those who will be affected by my decision. I have been asking you to do your part in reaching out for students so the school might survive in this economic downfall, but it seems that there will be no potential enrollees for this coming school year and I will not be able to meet your expectations to continue providing employment opportunities.”

Saipan Tribune learned that SAEF needs about 40 enrollees so it could continue operations. However, only the kindergarten classes and first to second grades have been filled in the last two years. There has been zero enrollments for the upper grades.

With kindergarten to the second grade being retained, only four teachers will be affected by the downsizing, according to Fong.

Fong, in his memorandum, also advised teachers of SAEF and Kids’ Cove—a sister company—that their paycheck for pay period May 30 through June 10, 2011, will be the last that they will get and he advised them to seek other employment.

“You may start looking for a job that you think will give you more assurance,” said Fong in his memorandum. However, he added that there is a possibility that he will require their services again should there be enough students for this new school year. Class opening is slated for August.

Fong, who is currently in the U.S. mainland, told Saipan Tribune yesterday that the school’s affiliates will stay open, including the Kids’ Cove and the University of Loyola.

“They’re not affected by the downsizing…” said Fong, adding that SAEF will start developing its own enrollees and students through its Kids’ Cove Learning Center.

He said the transfer of many students to public schools and the much lower tuition offered by competing schools are also factors in their decision.

SAEF is located at the Marianas Business Plaza in Susupe.