Passage of Compact Impact funding elates PSS

The Public School System is happy to learn that the Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs already signed the Compact Impact fund for fiscal year 2006.

Acting commissioner of Education David M. Borja expressed his gratitude to the federal government for finally approving the funding because the school system is also highly dependent on to the fund as promised by Gov. Juan N. Babauta.

Borja said the news is a very positive one for PSS and his office is very hopeful that all if not majority of the monies would go to them.

“Because if the funds would go to the PSS, we can now hope to see some of our facilities finally repaired,” he said.

The Office of Insular Affairs announced Tuesday that the Deputy Interior Assistant Secretary David B. Cohen has signed the Commonwealth’s share of Compact Impact funds for fiscal year 2006 and the CNMI government will receive the $5.2-million grant, in addition to $11.2 million in grant funds under the capital improvement program.

The outgoing Babauta administration had vowed to use the entire Compact Impact funds from 2005 to 2008 for the PSS’ infrastructure needs and other education-related projects since December 2004.

The Compact Impact Fund, said Borja, could address the shortfall in PSS’ budget this year of $3.1 million for major repair and maintenance of school facilities. He added that with the promised funding PSS would now be able to repair some rooms in schools that are badly damaged due to typhoon and termite infestation. One of these schools is Marianas High School, which reportedly has at least three buildings hazardous to schoolchildren.

The acting commissioner also said the classrooms at Kagman High School, which were burnt down last May, could also benefit from the funding.

“We would be able to repair the Kagman High School classroom and all the schools that need it,” he said, adding that the repair and maintenance program of PSS is part of its seven-year plan to upgrade quality education in the CNMI.

According to reports the CNMI will receive $5,171,900 in Compact Impact grant funds for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1. Under the terms of the grant, the CNMI government will use the funds to help offset the costs associated with migration from the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau under the Compacts of Free Association.

OIA has also approved Gov. Babauta’s proposal to use the entire amount of Compact Impact funds for education, including rehabilitating public schools. This is the third Compact Impact grant that the CNMI has received.