ARE our leaders “live” (meaning, for real) or just political recordings on education? I ask this because every person that was elected to government office pledged their dedication to education. But no one has really stepped up to the challenge when it comes to official intervention at the Public School System. The request of our leaders for change and certain actions at PSS are just like recordings with no real substance because very little or nothing comes of their suggestions and request in the news. Our leaders have always had the power to force the Board of Education in the right direction but no one wants to influence education because they don’t want the ultimate “accountability” that comes with it. This is politicking and not leadership.
The CNMI Constitution states that the executive is ultimately responsible for everything and every agency (PSS included).
This BOE has clearly proven that it can’t be allowed to roam freely and unaccountable to the government. Hence, a secretary of education with the expressed powers to govern over our educational system is needed. The governor and the Legislature must create this position.
Autonomy doesn’t mean “no governance; it only applies to separate control by BOE for funding and functions.
The need for the executive to intervene is public knowledge. BOE officials clearly violated their fiduciary duties by conspiring to change a contract when the rights in question had already been waived. Would BOE change a contract to prevent a person from taking a drug test?
Now, we, the people, are being asked to believe an evaluation of Dr. Rita H. Inos based primarily on PSS’s “physical” state. The evaluation is rigged to make her look good. The budget for PSS has not increased in several years while the population has continued to increase—meaning the only thing Dr. Inos could do was cut cost. What about the more important aspects of education like the moral, success of programs and achievement? BOE doesn’t know how to assess this by its own admission.
No means of evaluating the education commissioner and programs, no annual report in four years. The executive has the right, given these two conditions alone, to hold BOE and the commissioner more accountable to government.
The people’s vote for BOE members is inadequate to address and correct the ongoing and daily problems with the leadership of PSS.
The problems with our Board of Education and teacher relations have reached an all time high with no end in sight. The governor clearly has constitutional rights to intervene with the support of the Legislature and the people.
The CNMI leaders must step up to the challenge and stop pretending in the news.
AMBROSE M. BENNETT
Kagman, Saipan
