Education leaders establish task force

Education leaders yesterday initiated steps to organize a special task force which will take the lead in preparing students acquire necessary skills that will land them competitive jobs in the future.

Members of the Legislature, Board of Education, Board of Regents, Northern Marianas College, Public School System, and the private sector yesterday agreed during a meeting at Dai-Ichi hotel to institute a group that will revive and improve vocational and occupational programs in schools.

The task force is expected to be comprised of representatives from all sectors of the community.

House Committee on Education Chair Brigida Ichihara said the task force’s main agenda is to improve the teaching, nursing, and trade skills among students by bringing back the quality of school programs being offered at NMC, Marianas High School, and other schools.

“Our priority is the teaching, nursing, occupational and vocational education at NMC.
We need to bring all those things together so that we can all carry out the same mission that we would like to produce,” said the congresswoman.

When the desired standards for the mentioned fields are accomplished, the task force would then consider the development of programs tackling other professions, she added.

The task force goes by one main goal which is to produce a self-reliant and responsible workforce in the CNMI, the legislator stressed.

This is the first time such a consensus was reached between members of BOE, BOR, NMC, PSS, the Legislature, and other parties present at yesterday’s meeting, according to Ms. Ichihara.

“This is the first time that we’ve brought these worlds together, and they are very happy about it. It seems that there’s a motivation to work and we can accomplish things soon,” she added.

“I hope each sector does more than talk about these concerns and actually act on it,” BOE non-public school representative Scott Norman said yesterday, reacting to suggestions and sentiments expressed on the issue by concerned parties.

Education leaders are now hopeful that with the establishment of the task force, concrete measures can finally be done to upgrade the skills of local students and produce professionals that will be at par with that of other nations. (MM)