Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan disclosed yesterday that 60 percent of the 669 total graduating students surveyed last school year said they were going to college and 30 percent are opting to join the military.
These students surveyed graduated last June from Marianas High School, Kagman High School, Saipan Southern high School, Tinian Jr. Sr. High School and Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr. Sr. High School.
With the increase of interest from public high school students furthering their education, the Public School System and the Northern Marianas College continues to partner together in offering students opportunities after graduation.
Yesterday, close to 270 Marianas High School students participated in NMC’s “Start Smart program” an initiative that entices public and even private high school graduates from Saipan, Tinian and Rota to enroll at the College.
The PSS’ Junior-Senior Seminar that encourages junior and senior students to pursue higher education in the CNMI is an offshoot to that initiative.
Between 2008-2009, following the appointment of Education Commissioner Sablan, she pushed for partnership with NMC, by expanding the Junior-Senior Seminar program to a statewide initiative to involved NMC.
“Today’s event is an opportunity for you to really tighten up that plan (by deciding this early to pursue college and go to NMC),” Education Commissioner Sablan said. “There is not time to wait a while. I encourage you to pursue and sign up to the college now.”
NMC President Sharon Hart agrees.
“We are here to help you succeed. We are here to work with you and we are here to make you successful any way possible,” NMC President Sharon Hart told the large group of students yesterday.
Hart said NMC’s commitment as an accredited institution, is both to offer quality education and financial flexibility—advantages that could hardly be availed from off-island colleges. Particularly, Hart said NMC’s “small class size” allows for “one-to-one teacher-student learning” compared to large colleges and universities in the mainland.
Course/unit cost is also relatively cheap compared to NMC off-island counterparts.
