by Jolene Toves

Guam - The Department of Education and the General Services Agency are now moving forward with the implementation of the Secure Our Schools Act. As a result of a rash of break-ins and vandalism targeting our island's public schools we saw the enactment of Public Law 32-009.

The Secure Our Schools Act provides $1.28 million for security up to seven years for our island's public schools. The law mandated GSA to issue a contract 60 days after DOE submitted its risk assessment of campuses. According to news files, that risk assessment was submitted May 31. A meeting between GSA and DOE was held recently to move things forward.

DOE deputy superintendent Rob Malay said, "We sat down with GSA on Monday to go over the specifications for the Secure Our Schools Act and the procurement or solicitation for the security systems for our schools."

Malay says the meeting was very productive allowing GSA and DOE to be on the same page. GSA will handle the specifics of the invitation for bid, but in the end the benefits will provide a secure and safe school environment.

"We have put a lot of investments into our schools particularly leading up to the opening of school and to prevent any type of wrong doing whether it be burglaries or vandalism you know we'll go a long way in protecting our investments as a government," he said.

Last school year alone, a total of 42 breakins were reported to DOE schools with damages close to $340,000.