The 2024 Caribbean Netherlands Student Survey examines the lives of young people aged up to 18 in secondary education and MBO programs across Bonaire, Saba, and St Eustatius. This survey complements the National Youth Monitor conducted by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, which provides comprehensive data on Dutch youth but has limited coverage of the Caribbean Netherlands.
Purpose and Scope
The survey addresses a critical data gap by focusing specifically on students in the Caribbean Netherlands, covering key aspects of their lives, including well-being, health, leisure activities, household responsibilities, financial circumstances, education, and future aspirations. This research is particularly relevant given that pursuing higher education typically requires young people to leave the islands.
Key Research Questions
The study investigates how young people in the Caribbean Netherlands are faring through four main areas:
- Well-being: Assessing the overall psychological and social wellness of students
- Health Perceptions: Understanding how students view their own physical and mental health
- Leisure Activities: Examining how young people spend their free time
- Future Planning: Exploring students’ aspirations and plans, especially significant given the need to leave the islands for higher education
Methodology
The survey targets students aged 18 years or younger in secondary education and MBO programs across all three islands. Results from the 2024 survey are compared with those from 2020 to identify trends and changes over time.
Context and Significance
This research fills an important gap in understanding the unique circumstances facing young people in the Caribbean Netherlands, where geographic isolation and limited local higher education options create distinct challenges and opportunities compared to their peers in European Netherlands. The findings contribute to evidence-based policymaking for youth development in these island communities.
The findings show that:
• Overall, students in the Caribbean Netherlands rated their happiness and life satisfaction between 6.9 and 7.5 on average;
• Girls were bullied more often than boys, on both Bonaire and Saba;
• Most students eat too little fruit and regularly consume sugary drinks;
• More young people vape on Bonaire and Saba than there were smokers;
• On average, students reported more than six hours of screen time per day;
• In the week preceding the survey, nearly half of all students on St Eustatius had provided care to relatives or acquaintances with problems involving health or old age;
• Most students plan to leave the islands in the future, either to explore the world or to attend a study programme abroad.
Read the full report by CBS HERE.