The House of Representatives passed House Bills 16-105, 16-106 and 16-107 during its session on May 29.
All bills were sponsored by Rep. Justo S. Quitugua, D-Saipan, and are now pending in the Senate.
House Floor Leader Joseph N. Camacho, R-Saipan and co-sponsor of the bills, expressed hope the Senate will pass them so that public schools can begin the construction work before school-year 2008-2009 begins.
H.B. 16-105 will appropriate $291,210 from the PSS Capital Improvement Project General Obligation Bond with the Bank of New York Trust Company to PSS with the education commissioner as the expenditure authority.
The appropriation will be used to fund many critical classroom repairs, renovations and paving of school parking areas at different public schools.
H.B. 16-106 will reappropriate over $12,000 of public funds to William S. Reyes Elementary School for its campus maintenance and repairs.
The school’s principal is designated as the expenditure authority.
H.B. 16-107 will appropriate and reprogram a total of $74,000 for San Vicente Elementary School.
According to the bill, SVES’s enrollment this school-year exceeded its capacity, thus, additional classrooms must be built to accommodate more students.
“Of the total enrollment of 745, over 76 students are in kindergarten housed in two wooden classroom structures built more than 20 years ago with FEMA funds as a result of Typhoon Kim. Currently, these classrooms are so dilapidated that they pose a significant safety hazard to students especially the kinder,” the bill stated.
“In addition, the shortage of classrooms forces the school to be on the double session schedule. The conditions of the classrooms are not conducive to student learning which play a significant role in the success of students throughout their entire educational years,” it added.
The California-based Western Association of Schools and Colleges visiting team committee report for SVES strongly emphasized the need to address the dilapidated kindergarten classrooms.
Classes in public schools have ended and students will return in September.
Quitugua said the A&E for the replacement of dilapidated classrooms is done. He added that Tan Holdings Corp. donated $20,000 for the replacement of the kindergarten classrooms.
“The technical services division at the Department of Public Works confirmed that the funds appropriated under this act do not in any way jeopardize any ongoing projects,” he said.
