Extra Support for Second-Year Students from the Caribbean Netherlands

Students from Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba who study in the European Netherlands can now get extra guidance in their second year. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) has launched a pilot program that began this academic year.

The ministry is funding the pilot, and the organization TuranGoeloe is running it. TuranGoeloe already supports first-year students from the islands. Research agency ResearchNed will monitor and evaluate the program, which runs until August 1, 2028. Its findings will help the ministry decide whether to offer lasting support to second-year students from the Caribbean Netherlands.

The program is open to students in MBO, HBO and WO programs who are starting their second year in the Netherlands. TuranGoeloe holds a weekly walk-in consultation hour, available online or at its office. It also organizes “Peer-to-Peer Vibes” meetings, where students from the Caribbean Netherlands can share experiences and swap tips.

Professionals who work with these students can also use the consultation hour to discuss questions or situations they come across while supporting them.

The pilot grew out of an earlier study on support for first-year students, in which participants said they still needed help after their first year. The ministry now wants to learn what second-year students need, what support schools and municipalities already provide, and whether additional help is necessary.

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