MHS operational funds down to $40K

Marianas High School is literally on its knees, “begging” the government and community for financial help after getting only a measly $40,000 for its operational expenses in school year 2005-2006.

The school, which has the CNMI’s largest student population, only received $40,000 from the Public School System for this school year—$20,000 short of last school year’s budget allocation, according to MHS principal Karen Borja.

She said this is the lowest amount the high school has gotten in four years. In 2003, MHS received $200,000 for its school operations. In 2004, the funding was reduced to $100,000, followed by $60,000 in 2005; now it is down to only $40,000.

“We are just so in desperate need,” said Borja. She said the money given them this year would only defray the costs for grass cutting, for security, and toilet paper in the school. Minor repairs were also included in the budget but major repairs that the school need just have to be put on hold.

The principal said that, until now, three MHS buildings are in different states of disrepair because of termite infestation the past four years. Borja said the buildings that badly need repairs are the S-Building, J-Building, and T-Building.

In order to repair one building, Borja said the estimated cost is already $62,000, which is more than the budget allocated to them this year.

She also expressed disappointment with a handful of community members who complained about the air conditioning units inside the MHS gymnasium during Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s inauguration ceremony last Monday.

The principal said two of the four air conditioners in the gym have already been repaired using the money that they collected from those who rent the gym for special events.

The two air conditioners were repaired at a cost of $28,000. Repairing the two others would require the same amount, “and we don’t have the money anymore.”

The school’s administrators recently distributed letters of solicitations to private companies in the CNMI asking them to select MHS as a grantee for their Education Tax Credit donations.

“We are really desperate,” Borja said.

There have been six companies that donated its ETCs to MHS since the tax amendment in 2001. This year, the school is asking for the business community’s assistance once more.

The termite-infested J-Building houses nine classrooms: four for Special Education classes, two for Reserve Officer Training Corp classes, and three for regular classes. The classrooms are also used for the Advanced Development Institute classes at night.

The S-Building contains three classrooms and an office space for the ROTC.

Borja said the T-Building only has one classroom, with auto-mechanic workshop areas. Borja said there are column bars at the auto-mechanic building that are corroded.

It was reported earlier that the buildings pose a danger to schoolchildren, including SPED students, because the walls are now wobbly and hollow due to termite infestation.

The PSS budget narratives for fiscal year 2006 proposes a $50 million budget that allocates $2.55 million for deferred maintenance for all schools. The $50 million budget proposal represents a $12-million increase over this fiscal year’s approved budget of only $37.2 million.

The budget proposal has passed both the House and the Senate but was sent back to the House for revision.