THE government should support the Board of Education’s proposal to increase the mandatory school age limit to 18 once it is proven a necessary measure to solve education-related problems among the CNMI youth, according to Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente.
Benavente said education experts should be given the chance to push for measures they think are best for CNMI students.
“Certainly, if it’s necessary that we increase the age to 18, then we should all be supportive,” Benavente told Variety.
However, Benavente said the Legislature should review the matter very carefully once the enabling legislation is introduced, because of its possible impact on the limited budget of the Public School System.
“This whole matter would probably have some impact as far as funding is concerned because that would certainly mean additional money,” he said.
“I think the Legislature should review this matter very carefully. But (as the) governor has said, education is the way to go. Whatever it takes to provide education and educate our people, we should all give it our support,” he added.
