REPRESENTATIVE Stanley T. Torres has pre-filed a resolution requesting the Northern Marianas College and its board of regents to acknowledge and implement the mandate of the law in establishing a vocational, occupational and technical training center and professional development in the college.
Torres, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said the CNMI has an “overwhelming need” for a vocational and technical institute.
Torres said NMC was given the task to provide this training under Article 15 of the CNMI Constitution and P.L. 9-53 or the Higher Education Act of 1995. NMC, however, “is not getting enough or virtually nil” funding to fulfill such function.
He said the Legislature is fully supporting the concept of modern training for all CNMI residents, which should be implemented through the college’s vocational institute and the 2+2 program of the Public School System.
The resolution seeks a separate budget for NMC’s vocational institute which will be administered by a director for vocational and technical education, who will report to the board of regents.
The fund will be sourced from not less than 25 percent of the fees collected from P.L. 5-32 as amended by P.L. 10-66.
