WITH less than a month left before the midterm elections, all eyes and interests are now set on a “million” candidates vying for 23 CNMI-wide congressional, or more appropriately, legislative seats. This is usually the general frame of mind of the people this close to the elections. Nevertheless, I am confident that the voters have not lost sight on another equally important race.
The race for the Board of Education.
Unlike the heated legislative races, there are only three candidates running for two BOE seats on Saipan. Although at face value, this may not appear so much as a difficult task to undertake (voting for ONLY two out of the three candidates running); there is actually a lot at stake. For one thing, there is the future of the CNMI’s educational system for the next four or more years.
As many are aware, in just the past few weeks, several issues pertaining to our educational system have been cropping up in media. These include reports about Dandan Elementary School using its stage as a classroom due to a shortage of classrooms at the school, possible “payless” Fridays, and the controversial DCCA-PSS dispute over “custody” of the PSS childcare program. Let us also not forget the countless months of constant public bickering between the teacher representative to the board and several BOE members.
Personally, I think that our children, the PSS students in particular, deserve better leadership and a new direction that should be completely divergent from the status quo. Education, as we all know, is one of only a few pillars that hold up and make a community great.
Therefore, as responsible voters with “common sense,” we must vote for genuine and proven leaders that possess vision, creativity, and the right kind of leadership experience that is needed to lead the Board of Education. We owe it to ourselves, our CNMI teachers, students, and the future of the commonwealth to Think Education First.

KIMO MAFNAS ROSARIO
Koblerville, Saipan