Education Council: Children in the Caribbean Netherlands Must Receive Better Education

Education in the Caribbean Netherlands must improve. That is the conclusion of the Education Council following an analysis of the education system on Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. The Education Council advises the government and parliament on policy and legislation relating to education.

Schools on the three Caribbean islands have been part of the Dutch education system for about fifteen years. However, this system does not adequately align with the circumstances on the islands, the Education Council notes.

Education on the islands is organized on a much smaller scale. And due to the great distance from the Netherlands, schools on the islands receive less support.

The Education Council advises the Ministry of Education to take greater account of the situation on Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. More funding is also needed, according to the body.

Further Education

Children and young people on the Caribbean islands go in very different directions after their schooling. Some pursue further education in the Caribbean; others go on to study in the Netherlands. The Education Council believes they should be better prepared for these different possibilities.

The Council states that proficiency in the Dutch language on the Caribbean islands must be improved. This would allow young people to more easily transition to further education in the Netherlands.

Additionally, it should become easier to pursue further education on other Caribbean islands, such as Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. At present, these options are often unknown or financially difficult to access.

Teacher Rotation Pool

The Education Council also notes that there is a high turnover of teaching staff on Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. It therefore proposes establishing a rotation pool of teachers from the Netherlands.

Other possible solutions include an orientation program for new teachers on the islands and more intensive cooperation between educational organizations on Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. Education administrators and school leaders should receive more guidance in their work, the Council believes.

Furthermore, the circumstances on the three islands should be taken into account earlier when developing new laws or regulations. The Minister of Education could, for example, consult more with the island governments.

You can check out their advice here. (in Dutch).

Onderwijsraad.nl