By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

THE Public School System yesterday informed the Legislature that a 15.5 percent, or $5.9 million, cut in its current budget will result in the laying off of 957 staff members effective June 10 for the remainder of the fiscal year.
The loss of teachers, school administrators and support staff will also mean an extended summer vacation period for students of four to five months, according to Education Commissioner David M. Borja in a letter to Vice Speaker Justo S. Quitugua, D-Saipan.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has said that the budget must be cut by 15.5 percent to reflect the government’s declining revenue collections.
Borja said the “bare bones budget” of PSS — $38.6 million for 20 public schools and over 11,600 students — cannot be cut any further.
Borja said CNMI law states that “there shall be no reduction in pay for classroom teachers, school principals and vice principals,” which means, he added, that PSS cannot cut classroom teacher or school administrator pay during the term of the two-year contracts.
“If we terminated all the contracts of our 333 teacher aides and support staff at the end of this school year in early June, we would save $2.094 million. However, the education, health and safety of our school operations would be seriously compromised by not having the services of 216 teacher aides, bus drivers and school support maintenance staff that maintain our restrooms, air conditioners and school grounds and buildings,” Borja said.
Borja said the PSS budget is $3 million lower than it was in 1997 and 1998. Yet, PSS “has opened six new schools and added over 2,500 more students since 1997 and now has a student enrollment of over 11,600.”
He said the governor and the Legislature should enact a revised FY 2007 budget with no reduction for PSS.
Otherwise, he added, the CNMI “will lose both the 957 staff and the learning gains achieved by our children.”