Education in the Caribbean Netherlands

Comprehensive analysis

The islands of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius became part of the Netherlands on 10 October 2010. As a result, the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science assumed responsibility for education on the islands. This meant that education on the islands became an integral part of the Dutch education system. Since then, the Dutch government in The Hague has borne equal responsibility for delivering good education in the European and Caribbean parts of the Netherlands.

In the years since the constitutional changes, government agencies and education organisations have devoted a great deal of attention to resolving individual, urgent issues which demanded short-term adjustments to be made. The biggest adjustments have now been made, and experience has been gained in delivering education and pursuing education policy on the islands within the framework of the Dutch education system.

In this report, compiled at the request of the Minister of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), the Education Council presents a comprehensive analysis of the functioning of the Dutch education system on the islands of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius.

The publication consists of three parts:

• Part A: Conclusions and recommendations
• Part B: Featured themes in Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius
• Part C: Background information

The report will be published in April.

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
Teja Ras	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