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School delay costs PSS $13K
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Posted on Oct 02 2008
The delayed opening in September of four schools costs the Public School System more than $13,000.
PSS Education Commissioner Rita Sablan yesterday said the school district lost $13,625 when Gov. Benigno R. Fitial declared a state of emergency for four schools—Koblerville Elementary, Oleai Headstart, Marianas High School and Kagman Elementary—because the water samples from the schools did not come back in time for the start of classes.
Fitial had asked the Department of Public Health to form a task force to check the preparedness of the schools in light of the island’s blackouts at the time. DEQ tested the water at all schools, but tests for the four schools were not back in time for the opening.
Fitial informed Sablan and the Board of Education about his executive decision to postpone the opening on the night of Sept. 7—the day before school was to start.
Because the school district was not informed about Fitial’s decision until the night before, food vendors continued to prepare meals, Sablan said. Vendors must be given 24 hours notice in order to cease preparation. The meals costs the district $6,625 for the two days.
PSS also had to pay personnel $7,000 for the work they performed during the two days they were preparing for the water tests, Sablan said. Personnel worked on Sept. 6 and 7, a Saturday and Sunday, trying to prepare the schools for the tests.
The closure also brought to light the fact that the Bureau of Environmental Health had not issued the required sanitation permits to 22 schools.
Under normal circumstances, BEH can recommend to the Secretary of Public Health to close an establishment, but because there were no permits, the Department of Public Health recommended that Fitial use his authority to delay the opening.
At yesterday’s Board of Education meeting, Sablan said inspectors from BEH had completed initial inspections of the affected schools. Three schools—Gregorio T. Camacho, Garapan and Tanapag elementary schools—have some “minor clean-up” and must prove a certificate of authenticity before they can purchase the $130 permit, Sablan said.
