Education initiatives may need task force’s nod

Education initiatives, before they reach the lower house in the form of bills, may have to be approved by the newly-organized task force initiated by CNMI education leaders to avoid conflict among government-appointed bodies created to deal with the sector’s concerns.

This possibility is being mulled by members of the House Committee on Education, pressed with concerns that legislation on education have been introduced at the Legislature without prior consultation from those concerned.

Rep. Brigida Ichihara said the suggestion is worth considering, citing no one can know more about needs than the constituents themselves.

“It would be nice. I’d like that it should come from down there because they know what they want. But it is not the decision right now,” she said.

“Maybe we can also ask other departments if they have something they feel should be acted on. They can tell us and if they can write it in the way that they see it and enforce it, that would be better. It would be enforceable because they know it,” she added.

The legislator continued that while she’s had vast experience in the field of education, she is not a “master of everything.”

“I try to understand as much as I can but there are more specific things that I am not too capable of handling, that’s why we need the brains and the consensus of everyone,” the congresswoman said.

Rep. Malua Peter offered the same suggestion during a meeting held between legislators, the Board of Education, Northern Marianas College, the Board of Regents, and the Public School System.

“Any bill that has anything to do with education, we should leave that up to BOE and BOR. We don’t want to step into others’ functions. As much as possible we want to maintain respect amongst each other,” explained Ms. Peter.

Legislators also said the last thing they wanted to do was “bombard” the House with education bills at anyone’s expense.

Earlier, issues have been raised about the Legislature’s alleged “micro-management” of PSS as lawmakers have reportedly gone on and introduced numerous bills without consulting education officials.

But BOE member Marja Lee Taitano praised efforts being made by all education institutions in trying to make discussions on the issues at hand.

“I am glad we are all putting our minds together. . .sharing ideas through this dialogue,” Ms. Taitano told those present during a BOR, BOE, Legislature, PSS, and NMC meeting held recently. (MM)