She also told a Senate public hearing that the number of applicants has increased by 300 to 400 compared to the last four years.
Acting Finance Secretary Connie Agulto said of the $170,000 allotment for December, the scholarship office has already used $99,000.
Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan and chairman of the education committee, said the Senate wants the scholarship office to tell lawmakers what the problem is.
Even though the CNMI is having economic problems, its commitment to education must remain strong, Reyes said.
“If we believe that, then we need to prioritize the release of scholarship funds,” he said.
“The problem is always money. But at least this public hearing is not limited to just the issue of cash flow. We also want the scholarship office to be proactive,” he added.
Rasa disclosed that a total of $4 million in scholarship grants awarded to local students have already turned into loans because the scholars, for various reasons, have breached their agreement with the scholarship office.
The recipients were supposed to come back to the CNMI and work here, either in government or private sector for a certain period of time.
A “good number” of these students, Rasa said, has not been communicating with the scholarship office.
Senate President Paul A. Manglona, Ind.-Rota, said the scholarship office should work with the Department of Finance to collect payments from these students so they can have a revolving fund for future scholars.
Manglona said investing in scholarships is not a “waste of money.”
Reyes noted that some scholarship recipients cannot find jobs in the CNMI.
He said if these students cannot fulfill their agreement with the scholarship office “it’s not their fault.”
He said so many graduates have returned to the CNMI but could not find jobs and so they ended up working on Guam.
“It’s not just right,” he added.
He wants these scholars to be given ample time to diligently look for jobs before the scholarship office collect payments from them.
The scholarship office, he added, should also provide the Department of Labor with a list of graduating scholars so it can help these individuals get jobs in the CNMI.
The scholarship program, Reyes added, is designed to encourage the student to return home and work here.
But the problem is they are not being hired here, he said.
Manglona said he will introduce a bill to “establish specific dates for the CNMI Scholarship Office to disburse scholarship funds to all its recipients.”
This will “alleviate the financial costs [of the students] and provide a considerable amount of time for [them] to register for classes.”
