Funding for kindergarten still in limbo

Hopes by education officials to ensure continuous funding for the cash-strapped kindergarten program may have to wait a little longer.

A legislative proposal to amend the Education Act to include five-year old children in the mandatory free schooling will not likely be considered by the current Legislature for voting because of the financial crisis besetting the government. .

While she has agreed to initiate the move, Rep. Malua T. Peter said the proposed amendment to existing laws on public schools will still depend on when the government will be able to infuse enough funds to support the early childhood program.

“With the austerity measures that we are in right now, I’m holding on to it until such time that we can find money to include them,” the representative told in an interview yesterday.

Constitutional provisions require the government to grant free education to children between the age of six to 16, which opens the kindergarten program in jeopardy during times of budgetary constraints.

The Board of Education is hoping to change the mandate to include younger children attending kinder classes offered by the Public School System which is in dire need of additional funding to keep the program.

According to Peter, the proposed measure will also set aside funds to the program from the annual budget of the government, but added this may prove difficult to include due to diminishing local coffers.

“If I do that, it will come with appropriation. Right now, even with 6 to 16 years old mandatory free schooling, we are still having a hard time budgeting the needs of the Public School System,” she explained.

But the legislator said she is seeking ways to assist PSS in resolving the funding problems, hoping to infuse additional money in a bid to save the program.

“I hope that there will be money for kindergarten, but the only obligation of the commissioner is 6 to 16 years old,” Peter pointed out.

Maintaining the kindergarten program means $800,000 in local funding to cover personnel costs and another $200,000 for the free transportation of these young students.

More than 600 five-year old kids are expected to register this coming year at 11 campuses in the CNMI, according to PSS.

BOE last week expressed support for Peter’s proposal in light of the funding difficulties, saying putting this to a vote will assure continuity of kindergarten.

“I would like to introduce it before the end the 11th Legislature,” Peter explained, “and I have high hopes that we will be picking it up once the economy recovers.”