General Discussion Second Chamber about education quality in Caribbean Netherlands

The education quality in the Caribbean Netherlands was the main topic of the so-called “Algemeen Overleg” (General Discussion) on October 15th, between the Permanent Committee of Kingdom Affairs and State Secretary Sander Dekker (OCW) in the Second Chamber. The State Secretary was supported for this discussion by the Project Director Caribbean Netherlands, the director of the Directorate for Secondary education and a delegation from RCN/OCW.

A positive point that emerged from this discussion was the upward tendency of the education quality in Caribbean Netherlands Primary Education. During their yearly quality assessment last week, the Inspectorate of Education announced that the Golden Rock school for Primary education on Sint Eustatius had reached the basic quality. The Inspectorate has repeatedly ascertained that education staff on the islands are working hard on the realization of the quality improvements points that were laid down by the schools and OCW in the Education Agenda Caribbean Netherlands, in March 2011.

Other topics discussed, apart from the education quality, were the governing power of the schools, education funding, the role and impact of language in education and education care. The governing power at the schools for Secondary education was a matter of great concern for the members of the Chamber. The elaborate discussion of this topic included a review of possibilities for intervention in case of persisting failure to improve governmental power at these schools.

Press release RCN, October 15, 2014