THE Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance board has adopted Board Resolution No. 2021-002, which requires applicants to complete two years of post-secondary studies at Saipan-based educational institutions such as Northern Marianas College and the Northern Marianas Technical Institute.
Oscar M. Babauta
SHEFA Board Chairman Oscar M. Babauta and members Raymond M. Muna, and Kaelani Demapan voted to adopt the resolution on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021.
This is a result of several ongoing discussions since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the board said.
The policy requires that new applicants seeking SHEFA assistance “shall be limited during the first two years of postsecondary study to grant-in-aid and other assistance only for studies undertaken in the Commonwealth offered by U.S.-accredited colleges or universities in [particular,] Northern Marianas College, and trade certification at the Northern Marianas Technical Institute or at other approved trade institutions inclusive of online coursework.”
Board Resolution No. 2021-002 states, “The limited resources available and urgent need for increased local workforce necessitate measures to conserve resources and focus on maximizing support to the widest student population possible and the most fundamental educational needs in support of development of the on-island workforce.”
Amid the unprecedented economic circumstances within the CNMI due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the SHEFA board believes that “the scholarship awards should be spent within the local economy to help educational institutions, local businesses, and the community, which in turn helps students and families on island.”
The board “has determined that the public interest and effective allocation of limited resources to achieve the greatest benefit is best served by adopting a policy requiring first-time SHEFA assistance applicants to undertake their first two years of studies on Saipan, and for the continued suspension of Priority Field of Study awards and Merit Incentive awards [for new and ongoing applicants].”
