NMTI turns in more documents; SHEFA expands data gathering

The Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance board disclosed Thursday that the Northern Marianas Trade Institute recently turned in more information that will help the former establish a policy dealing with vocational and trade schools in the Commonwealth.
However, SHEFA said the additional documents are still inadequate as board members agreed to continue to talk with NMTI and get more data on the institution’s operation and curriculum, among others.

Board member Ursula Aldan even recommended a site visit to aid the board in coming up with a sound policy.

As of Thursday, nothing has been set in stone as to when the board is expected to come up with the final policy for trade schools or what specific requirements it will set for potential scholars.

But vice chair Jose Mafnas said, “In terms of requirements [for NMTI scholars], it’s a policy call for us.”

Meantime, among the records shown during Thursday’s meeting were documents that indicated that the former SHEFA board approved 150-hour sessions as a base requirement for CNMI scholars.

John Pialur, chairman of the committee on programs and development, said this “is something the board can work with” for NMTI.

Pialur said that in his panel’s last meeting with NMTI director Vic Cepeda on March 4, one major concern the trade school is currently faced with is a lack of textbooks.

The board was also informed that NMTI has about 50 students this semester and sessions started two months ago.

Despite the willingness and commitment of the SHEFA board to assist NMTI scholars, however, there is no telling as to how they plan to provide it, whether after course completion or at the beginning of classes.

In the case of the Workforce Investment Agency, which funds many scholars at the trade institute, financial aid comes after the course’s completion in the form of reimbursement.

SHEFA used to provide $1,000 grants to NMTI scholars per term. The first and last checks awarded to trade institute students was in 2010.

It was earlier disclosed that NMTI students are technically ineligible for financial assistance from SHEFA because its enabling rules exclude grants for trade and vocational schools. The only way to go around this is to rewrite the policy and regulations, or establish specific rules and regulation dealing with trade and vocational scholars.