By Emmanuel T. Erediano
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Variety News Staff
THE Public School System will end the current school year as scheduled but plans to hold an “intensive” summer school program, Commissioner of Education Lawrence F. Camacho said during a press conference Monday.
Camacho told reporters that after a series of discussions with school leadership, PSS decided not to reopen schools for the remainder of the academic year as the Commonwealth continues recovering from the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
However, he said PSS plans to offer an intensive summer school program for students.
The commissioner also assured families that each school will still hold graduation and promotion ceremonies. In addition, PSS is considering — subject to approval by the Board of Education — starting the next school year slightly earlier than the currently scheduled Aug. 11, 2026 opening date.
Camacho acknowledged that the decision not to reopen schools was significant but said it was based on multiple factors.
“As a school district, we need to make sure every decision we make is always focused on our No. 1 priority, which is our students,” he said.
Camacho said discussions with school leadership focused on the condition of school infrastructure as well as the mental and emotional readiness of students and staff.
Two schools — Koblerville Elementary School and Daok Academy — were assessed as totally damaged, while eight others sustained major damage. All schools across the CNMI require emergency repairs, debris removal, deep cleaning and mold remediation to ensure campuses are safe for students and employees, he said.
Camacho added that PSS maintenance teams and disaster recovery personnel continue conducting detailed assessments of school facilities throughout the district.
The school system also conducted surveys to better understand the challenges students and their families have faced following the typhoon, as well as whether staff members were prepared to return to work.
While many students and staff members are ready to return, Camacho said some families continue to face significant hardships in the storm’s aftermath.
“Nevertheless, we looked at the infrastructure, and we looked at the mindset readiness before we made the final decision,” Camacho said. “The more concerning one really is the mental state of the staff and students.”
He said the final decision was made in coordination with the school district leadership following a series of meetings that began immediately after the all-clear announcement.
“We really want the students back, but we’re not going to bring them back unless the campuses are clean, safe, healthy and conducive to learning,” Camacho said. “There’s a lot of talk about families that are still struggling out there, and that is a big factor as well.”
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
