GOVERNOR Juan N. Babauta is pushing for the realization of programs that are in line with the Republican Party’s excellence in education goal.
Board of Education Chairman Herman T. Guerrero said the administration, through Babauta’s senior policy advisor Robert J. Schwalbach, has presented to the board and the Public School System at least four proposed policies and programs to improve the quality of education in the CNMI.
These are the policies and programs on teacher tax credit, care for students’ health, school autonomy and the change of compulsory age in schooling. Guerrero said the governor wants to implement a $1,000 per year tax credit to teachers for out-of-pocket expenses related to the classroom.
Care for students’ help would be done by the administration through placing schools and community health centers in proximity to encourage preventive care and allow school administration to focus on academics.
The hiring of professional and physical therapist to help school children is also considered by the administration to be part of the student care program, according to Guerrero.
Policies in school autonomy would be done by leaving individual schools with parents, principals, teachers and students to decide on the length of school year, curriculum, hours of instruction, teacher selection and compensation and students uniforms.
