Sacred Heart School on Saba cleared: ministry lifts formal supervision order

The board governing the Sacred Heart School on Saba is no longer subject to enhanced supervision by the Dutch Ministry of Education and Emancipation. State Secretary Judith Tielen has announced that the formal designation order against Stichting Katholiek Onderwijs Saba (SKOSaba) has been officially withdrawn.

The designation was introduced in 2024 after the Education Inspectorate reported serious and structural mismanagement. The board had failed over an extended period to safeguard educational quality, and its financial management fell short of legal requirements. Under the terms of the order, the board was required to carry out a comprehensive recovery program.

In November 2025, the Inspectorate conducted recovery reviews at both school and board levels. Investigators found that the board had made visible and substantive improvements. A functioning quality assurance system is now in place, pupil development is actively monitored, financial resources are linked to concrete goals, and the board has been strengthened with new members whose roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.

Although some shortcomings remain, the Inspectorate is satisfied that mismanagement has ended and that improvement is ongoing. Oversight of the remaining points now returns to the Inspectorate under its standard supervisory framework.

State Secretary Tielen expressed confidence that the board, under continued Inspectorate supervision, will sustain and build on the progress made.

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