ALL public school principals must be tough in implementing the zoning guidelines when accepting students to avoid overcrowding and allow authorities to assess fairly the physical improvements that need to be done on the campuses.
Board of Education Chairman Herman T. Guerrero said some schools are overcrowded because students who are not supposed to be enrolled were admitted.
“When will it stop?” Board member Frances Diaz asked.
Board member Esther Fleming said this is “a very valid and timely question” now that BOE is preparing future Public School System projects that will be financed through the capital improvement project funds.
“It’s a very valid question as we plan our next CIPs. Kids must go to the school within their neighborhood,” Fleming said.
Some schools have a student-teacher ratio of over 20 students per teacher.
However, according to PSS, this situation is avoidable if the zoning system is seriously implemented.
For example, a public school student residing in San Roque must enroll at Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School.
However, education officials said there are many contributing factors that must also be considered.
In some cases, students are not being taken cared of by their parents but are under the custody of guardians who live elsewhere.
Some students also don’t want to enroll in certain public schools.
Guerrero said based on their assessment, Tanapag and Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary Schools are the least populated on Saipan.
“There are plenty of rooms in some schools, but (it appears) that not a lot of students want to go to Tanapag or GTC,” he said.
Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos said there is really no difference which public school a child goes since all of them are accredited by the California-based Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Guerrero said it is not prudent to build more schools if the space of certain schools can still be maximized through expansion.
