‘Cost-saving measure without cutting education’

Energy use is an expense that the Public School System continues to grapple with for years now and with the mounting financial squeeze, it led the school district to make yet again another tough decision: reducing energy consumption.

This latest cost-saving measure has been carefully planned that involved a series of dialogues and meetings with school personnel, staff, and air conditioning providers on Saipan, Tinian and Rota.

The use of air conditioning units on all public school campuses has been reduced only by two hours during instructional time, while leaving them turned on during the warmest time in any given school day. Schools and the Central Office are allowed to use their air-conditioning units for only four to five hours during regular school or workday.

The PSS central office has also cut the number of hours for its air conditioning units.

“It is difficult but it is important for us at PSS to implement cost-saving measures. And we are asking our families and students to bear with us as we work to overcome these difficulties,” explained Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan.

PSS has been under increasing pressure to maintain its services without sacrificing the quality of education of school children. With its current funding level pegged at $30 million-the lowest appropriation in a decade-the school system has been innovative in the use of its earmarks without sacrificing student services.

How to keep cuts out of the classrooms in the midst of shrinking government budget for public education has been compounded with an expensive utility rate.

This year the figure is bleak for PSS: the volatile utility rate will cause the school system to spend more than the appropriated $2 million for “operational cost.” The amount, tucked into its annual budget, is not solely for utilities; it also is spent for fuel of all school buses and vans and for the operational and administrative expenses of all PSS facilities.

The school system averages at least $400,000 in monthly utilities expenses and a total of $4.8 million in one year.

Reducing the number of hours in the use of air conditioning units in school classrooms and offices was the best option, rather cutting classroom/instructional supplies or reducing the services it provides to school children through various programs.

At 44 cents per kilowatt-hour, Sablan said that PSS could no longer afford it.

“We have had several conversations with our school staffs and administrators, service providers and stakeholders and we all agreed that rather than cut or reduce instructional programs and services that we provide to our students, cutting the use of air conditioning units by only two hours during instructional time is the most plausible solution,” she said. “I know there are parents that are concerned for their children’s comfort and we are doing our very best to ensure that they are accorded the best comfort within PSS’ means.”

Sablan lamented that in the midst of a much-reduced appropriation for PSS and despite its sustained effort to increase student achievement and provide students with needed resources and facilities, PSS is continually challenged to meet the needs of providing educational programs and services to its 11,000 students for the remainder of the fiscal year.

“It is unfortunate that PSS is in this situation given the financial hardship in the Commonwealth. And we appeal for the understanding of our parents, students, faculty, and staff,” Sablan said. (PSS)