NMC President Carmen Fernandez on Friday met with Philippine cabinet member Dr. Dante A. Ang.
Fernandez said that since NMC is already sending staff and personnel to Manila for specific training sessions, the proposed partnership is beneficial to the institution.
“We’re going to work on how we can partner together and see what programs can help the CNMI,” Fernandez told Variety, adding that NMC appreciates the Philippine government’s offer.
She noted that there are approximately 600-700 graduates a year from public and private schools in the CNMI.
Because NMC is the only community college on island, it aims to serve these students by offering them courses and programs that can help them land immediate employment once they graduate.
Ang said it is important for an institution like NMC, to know the needs of its “market,” the CNMI.
NMC, for example, he added, can collaborate with the local Department of Commerce to determine the CNMI business needs and demand.
“We also need to look at the CNMI market seriously and see which areas our colleges in Manila can help in terms of supplying courses or the needed curriculum,” Ang told Fernandez.
The only way to provide this assistance from Manila schools is through the signing of “twinning agreement.”
A “twinning” agreement is similar to a “sister cities” pact.
Ang and Fernandez said vocational programs such as construction, mechanics, and carpentry are some of the areas they may focus on.
Fernandez said since NMC is not being barred from tying up with universities outside of the CNMI, she said twinning agreements with Philippine institutions may be explored.
Ang told Variety that since NMC serves a lot of children of Filipino parents a twinning agreement will benefit the Philippines and the CNMI.
Ang is the chairman of the Philippine Commission on Filipinos Overseas and of the NCLEX board in Manila.
