Three Statia, Saba students eager to start their studies

Two students from St. Eustatius and one student from Saba were part of the group from the Caribbean Netherlands that arrived in the Netherlands on Monday morning.

Shaël Bennett (19) and José Hupsel (20) from St. Eustatius and Jordan Every (16) of Saba were full of spirit and visibly happy to have arrived after a long journey on Royal Dutch Airlines KLM via St. Maarten and Curaçao that included some delay.

At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport they had to wait a few hours for the arrival of the 23 students from Bonaire who came on another KLM flight before they moved to the WOW Hotel in Amsterdam where they will be staying for two nights. The three Windward Islands students were accompanied on the flight by Study Financing Coordinator Rosa Hoes.

Hupsel, Bennett and Every said they were all very much looking forward to their studies. Hupsel will be studying Engineering in Amsterdam. Bennett will be taking up his Economics and Tax Law studies in Rotterdam. Every, the youngest student of the group from the Caribbean Netherlands, said she was eager to start her International Business and Management studies in The Hague.

The three Windward Islands students said they were well prepared on their own island for their studies in the Netherlands. The 23 students from Bonaire also received a thorough preparation before their departure.

In total 26 students from the Caribbean Netherlands opted to receive guidance in the Netherlands. They will be paying for the service through a start-up amount of US $7,500, provided by the National Government Service Caribbean Netherlands RCN, explained Head of the Study Financing Department at RCN Jefferson Coffie. One third of this amount will become a grant after the student has secured his or her diploma. In total, some eighty students from the Caribbean Netherlands are going to the Netherlands this year to pursue their tertiary education, said Coffie, who accompanied the Bonaire students. The other students, outside the group of 26 who arrived on Monday, will arrange their own guidance and support in the Netherlands.

In the Netherlands, the group of 26 students will be guided by Aalse and Partners Student Support, which won the bid for this job. This is the first time that the company is offering this service for the students. Coordinator Roos Leerdam-Bulo will be guiding the students together with Jerome Balinge and Mireya Ostiana-Weyman.

After their arrival at the WOW Hotel, the 26 students had lunch and received their public transport card and a mobile phone card, and documents were checked by the student coaches. The students have also received an extensive booklet with information about studying in the Netherlands. The day was closed off with a joint dinner.

In the coming days, the students will open a bank account, receive several presentations, take part in workshops and attend information sessions before travelling to the city where they will be studying on Wednesday afternoon. The students will also receive their health insurance policy.

The airline tickets of the 26 students were arranged through Le Beau Reizen of St. Maartener Marlon Beauperthuy to whom Leerdam-Bulo said she was very grateful for giving “excellent service.”

The Daily Herald.