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PSS thanks Kilili for COVID relief act funding
Education Commissioner Dr. Alfred B. Ada thanked Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) for the additional federal funding that the Public School System will receive from the second phase of the Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020.
The second round of the bipartisan economic relief put forward by U.S. Congress will provide the much-needed lifeline for PSS, directly funding several existing programs and initiatives that will provide continuous educational opportunities to the more than 10,000 elementary, middle, and high school students on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
“For one, this will guarantee that all of our classroom teachers and support staff will not experience a single payless payday. On behalf of all our educators, I want to congratulate our long-standing partner, Congressman Sablan, for his tireless efforts in securing the much needed federal funds to supplement the shortfall in our local state funding,” Ada said.
PSS Federal Programs officer Tim Thornbrugh noted that this second phase of the Education Stabilization funding, a component of the Coronavirus Relief Act, will provide direct support to a whole range of public education services.
“This will not only pay for salaries but can also be used to pay for sanitation supplies needed at our schools to clean every classroom every day, pay for the HVAC services needed for school air conditioners, pay for mental health services, and a whole list of other services,” Thornburgh said.
Sablan’s work as the chairman of the Education Subcommittee on Early Education, K-12 education and postsecondary education enabled the U.S. congressman to initiate amendments to the Education Stabilization Fund that directly ensured funding for public and private schools in the CNMI, according to Thornburgh.
Ada said that Round 2 of the federal Education Stabilization Fund is coming just in time and will greatly benefit the school district’s students, teachers and parents.
Ada also thanked Gov. Ralph DLG Torres for his support for public education. (PR)
