Minister Bussemaker visited schools on Saba

Minister for Education, Culture and Science, Jet Bussemaker, paid a visit Saba on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and has expressed satisfaction with the progress, which has been made in education. On Wednesday, accompanied by Commissioner of Education Bruce Zagers, Kingdom Representative Gilbert Isabella and a delegation of education civil servants from the Hague and the Caribbean Netherlands, Bussemaker received a tour of the technical stream of the Saba Comprehensive School at Cove Bay, Saba Comprehensive School and Sacred Heart School in St. Johns. The Minister says it was important for her to see firsthand the progress that has been made on all levels on education on Saba.

An important point of interest for the Minister was to see how education partners on Saba are working with each other and with stakeholders on the other islands. The second Education Agenda signed on St. Eustatius by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Public Entities and all relevant educational institutions on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba has as the main goal to strengthen the cooperation on each island and among the islands. “Working together for a common goal is the best way to strengthen our education system and our communities. Good education is the most stable basis for our communities – whether on Saba, Statia or Bonaire. Because what happens in the classroom flows like a wave through the rest of society. This is why it is so important that our children learn more than just practical skills. Let’s all work together to keep that wave moving. By signing the second Education Agenda Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire have committed to taking education to the next level”.

Commissioner of Education Bruce Zagers thanked Minister Bussemaker for the great cooperation that exists between the islands and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. He stated further that other Ministries in The Netherlands can learn a great deal from this approach.

The technical stream of the Saba Comprehensive School is the first vocational education (MBO) institution in the Caribbean Netherlands to achieve the basic quality in education. This was announced by Minister of Education, Culture and Science Jet Bussemaker on Wednesday morning when she visited the Leather Factory at Cove Bay where instruction in various disciplines of vocational education is offered. The Minister and her delegation toured the facility and held talks with teachers and students. Afterwards everyone was treated to cake.

Bussemaker was happy to see firsthand that there are students in the vocational programme and stressed the importance for Saba to create the link between the economy and education. “It is important to guarantee these young Sabans an opportunity in the job market once they have completed their vocational studies,” said Bussemaker.

On Tuesday the Minister met with representatives of Body Mind & Spirit (BMS) where the discussion centered on the human rights of LGBT. Bussemaker and delegation will continue their visit to Bonaire where talks will be held with a.o. education partners there.

Press release RCN