BUILDING a new elementary school in Kagman must be considered within the next five years because of the area’s rapid population growth rate, according to the capital improvement projects office of the Public School System.
“The Kagman area is the fastest growing area of Saipan with a projected growth rate of over 5 percent or 38 more students every year. At this rate, Kagman will have 966 elementary students in five years,” the CIP office said.
According to Kagman Elementary School Principal Ignacia Demapan, they registered 809 enrollees for the incoming school year.
But the school which was built in 2000 at the cost of $5.74 million was designed to accommodate a maximum of 600 students only.
Demapan said they had to use other rooms last school year to accommodate all students.
The CIP office said the growing enrollment rate at Kagman Elementary School is expected to further increase since Kagman is a homestead village.
The office suggested that the government set aside at least 5 hectares of public property in Kagman where another elementary school could be built.
As of this year, the estimated cost of this proposed project would require at least $6.5 million.
Board of Education Chairman Herman T. Guerrero said PSS does not have the money to build another elementary school in the area at this time.
