Educational institutions on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (collectively referred to as Caribbean Netherlands) have been part of the Dutch education system since January 1, 2011. Since then, the Minister of Education in The Hague is also responsible for the education on the islands. This has resulted in a number of positive changes, but new challenges have also arisen.
Beeld: © Onderwijsraad
Six themes
At the request of the minister of Education, the Education Council of the Netherlands is preparing an advisory report focusing on education in the Caribbean Netherlands. In compiling this report, the Education Council is working in collaboration with Island Committees of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba to explore the functioning of education in the Caribbean Netherlands and how well embedded it is in the Dutch education system. This is being done on the basis of six themes.
The themes are: multilingualism, education provision, inclusive education, transitions in education, administrative capacity and teaching staff.
Publication of the report on education in the Caribbean Netherlands is scheduled to take place in the second quarter of 2026.
Working method
The Education Council will work with an Island Committee for each island to determine the content and process for the island-specific chapters in the report. The members of the Committees contribute their experience, expertise and perspective in a personal capacity.
Island Committee Bonaire
|
Anoek Hansen |
Director-administrator |
Expertisecenter Onderwijs en Zorg |
|
Liset Wolff |
Unit director |
MBO Bonaire |
|
Melanie Pop |
Teacher |
Kolegio Rayo di Solo |
|
Nilva Wout |
School board member |
Stichting Birgen Maria Onderwijs |
| Geneviève Gougon |
Teacher |
Liseo Boneriano |
|
Cor van Montfort |
Committee Chair |
Onderwijsraad |
|
Talitha Stam |
Project leader |
Onderwijsraad |
Island Committee Saba
| Merlijn Verstraeten |
Director |
Expertise Center Education Care |
| Marco de Vries | Director-administrator |
Saba Comprehensive School |
|
Marlon Sitladin |
Teacher |
Saba Comprehensive School |
|
Camille Fahey-Blackman |
Teacher |
Sacred Heart Primary School |
| Willem-Jan van Hest | Director-administrator | Sacred Heart Primary School |
|
Daisy Mertens |
Committee Chair |
Onderwijsraad |
|
Talitha Stam |
Project leader |
Onderwijsraad |
Island Committee Sint Eustatius
|
Fleur Lagcher |
School principal |
Gwendoline van Puttenschool |
|
Javanca Merkman |
School board member |
Governor de Graaff Primary School |
|
Sharon van Putten-Blair |
Teacher |
Seventh Day Adventist Primary School |
| Tamara Richardson | Teacher | Bethel Methodist Primary School |
|
Rhea Courtar |
Care coordinator |
Golden Rock Roman Catholic School |
| Susan te Pas |
Committee Chair |
Onderwijsraad |
|
Talitha Stam |
Project leader |
Onderwijsraad |