Borja convenes meeting on Tiyan facility ahead of Public Health Inspection

Sen. Vincent Borja, chair of the Committee on Education, Libraries and Public Broadcasting, held a meeting Aug. 12 with the Guam Department of Education, Tiyan High School, Simon Sanchez High School and Core Tech International over concerns regarding maintenance responsibilities and contractual obligations at the Tiyan facility.

The urgency comes as the Tiyan High facility is up for public health inspection in a week, and according to Borja, there "appeared to be miscommunication" on "who was responsible for certain maintenance issues, what work was required under the existing contractual agreement and what needed to be addressed by GDOE."

Borja said the meeting's intent was to get everyone on the same page.

"Sometimes the best thing we can do is simply get everyone in the same room, put the issues on the table, and figure out how we solve them together," Borja said following the meeting. "We have an inspection coming up in eight days. There is no time for finger-pointing or miscommunication. We need a plan, we need clear responsibilities, and we need the work to get done."

During the meeting, specific areas requiring attention and a "path forward" were established ahead of the inspection.

"This is how we get work done. We bring the stakeholders together, we go out to the site, we see the issues firsthand, and we make sure everyone understands what needs to happen next," Borja said. "At the end of the day, these facilities serve our students, teachers and staff, and that has to remain our focus."

Tiyan High School and Simon Sanchez High School started the new school year Aug. 10, sharing the Tiyan facilities. Borja recognized the GDOE for the work put in to prepare the facilities for public health inspection.

"I want to thank the GDOE employees who have been putting in the long hours, including nights and weekends, to make sure this campus is ready for our students, teachers and staff," Borja said. "They have worked hard throughout this transition and continue to do what needs to be done to prepare for the public health inspection."

Borja said the Committee on Education will work with the parties and track progress on the "agreed-upon plan" to ensure facility concerns are addressed "as quickly as possible."

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