Super Typhoon Sinlaku left a trail of destruction in the CNMI.
Photo: Mark Rabago
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Public School System has decided to end the 2025-2026 school year early instead of reopening campuses due to the devastation caused by Category 5 Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
The Public School System is the main organisation that runs all the free, government-funded schools in the CNMI.
CNMI’s education commissioner Dr Lawrence Camacho said schools are still not safe or ready for students and staff.
Camacho said the decision came after weeks of damage assessments, consultations with school leaders, and surveys involving students, parents, and employees across the district.
“School will not open back up until next school year,” Camacho said in an interview with Marianas Press.
He said the Public School System leadership weighed several factors before deciding against reopening, including extensive campus damage, mold remediation concerns, emergency repairs, and the emotional well-being of students and teachers still recovering from the storm.
“We’re not going to get them back again unless the campus is clean, safe, healthy, and conducive for the learning,” Camacho said.
According to Camacho, two schools were considered “totally destroyed” while eight others sustained major damage.
He said all campuses still require emergency repairs and mold remediation, even in schools on Tinian and Rota that suffered less damage than those on Saipan.
Camacho said Public School System initially considered extending the school calendar or reopening schools in phases, but ultimately ruled out both options because recovery efforts have been slower than expected and many campuses are still not ready.
“The more concerning one is really the mental state of our staff and our students,” he said, adding that surveys showed many families remain traumatized and are still struggling in the aftermath of the typhoon.
He said some students and parents wanted classes to resume, but others remained fearful about returning to damaged campuses and uncertain conditions.
“There’s still a lot of families out there nevertheless, so we look at the infrastructure and we look at the mindset readiness,” Camacho said.
The Public School System will continue Grab-and-Go meal distribution through 10 June, while graduation and promotion ceremonies will proceed as scheduled.
The district is also planning summer school programs focused on at-risk students and those needing academic intervention because of disruptions caused by the storm.
Camacho said officials are even considering starting the next school year earlier than the tentative Aug. 11 opening date to help recover lost instructional time.
Earlier, the Northern Marianas College also announced it is ending its Spring 2026 semester early because of recovery efforts related to Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
The college said students will still receive full financial aid despite the shortened semester, while commencement exercises originally scheduled for May 22 have been postponed until further notice.
