However, PSS human resource officer Ramon Diaz admitted that they still need more English teachers for secondary schools.
“It’s no secret that we have shortage of teachers at the system,” Diaz said.
As of July 29, PSS had 494 classroom teachers. Last year, it had 516 for its 20 schools.
Last week, Diaz said they received late resignation notices from four teachers.
To increase the number of its teachers this school year, PSS has hired the graduates of Northern Marianas College’s elementary education program.
According to Diaz, PSS wants to hire up to six English teachers but due to lack of funding, they can only hire four.
The schools that need English teachers are Kagman, Marianas, Rota, Tinian and Saipan Southern high schools.
Diaz said each school’s “staffing pattern” has to be considered.
Secondary schools are accommodating bigger sessions for specific classes such as English due to lack of teachers, he added.
PSS is continuing its recruitment efforts here and off-island, but Diaz said they are being “challenged by several factors”: the CNMI’s low salary offer and incentives, the Praxis requirement and the economic instability of the commonwealth.
