CNMI leaders urged to ‘invest in the future’

Henry I. Sablan and Elizabeth Rechebai were honored for their years of service to the Public School System at the proclamation signing of Education Month on Friday. (Dennis B. Chan)

“If I were a student I would ask myself: ‘Is my education worth an investment of the Commonwealth?’ We need to look at it from that perspective,” Board of Education chair Herman Guerrero said after the proclamation signing.

On the voter’s table next month is House Legislative Initiative 18-12, which guarantees a minimal funding of no less than 25 percent percent of local appropriations for the Public School System’s budget.

Guerrero in inviting Commonwealth leaders to visit the schools.

He emphasized that “it’s the adults that make the difference” when it comes to voting, and encouraged voters to approach education leaders if they want to learn more about the purpose of the initiative.

He pointed to PSS’ push to have full-time kindergarten classes in all its schools.

Koblerville Elementary School or Garapan Elementary School are some of the schools that can only offer double-sessions during the day, for example, while San Vicente Elementary School and Kagman Elementary have full-day sessions.

“I believe there is inequity and I believe every child should have the benefits of full-kinder, and not just on a split session,” Guerrero said.

Board member Tanya King echoed Guerrero’s emphasis on investment.

“If you look at countries where students are excelling, the governments invest a tremendous [amount] of their revenue in education,” she said. “The greatest investment that we can possibly put is in our children.”

Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), who participated with students on Rota via videoconference, said the school system is where it is today through the contributions of its predecessors.

“The investment in education makes changes in generations after generations,” he said. “If we are in the second generation of the Commonwealth and if we could make improvements in the education and lives of our people now, the next generation of leadership, the third generation, can do much more,” he said.

Former education commissioner Elizabeth D. Rechebai, who was at the event, said, “PSS has come a long way” since her time.

Another former education commissioner, Henry I. Sablan, called their generation “the carvers of the canoe of education.” He noted the constraints in the government with its many obligations and minimal budget but also said “there is no excuse” for leaders not to provide the most for the education of children.

This year’s theme for Education Month is “Grab the Wheels of Education…Steer your Way to Success.”

The month’s events will culminate on Oct. 24, Education Day, when the CNMI Teacher of the Year is announced that day.

Initially slated for Oct. 1, the proclamation was pushed back due to last’s week typhoon watch.