Amazing: Statia education stakeholders agree to keep schools open

On Friday March 20th education stakeholders met with the Public Entity of St. Eustatius to discuss the situation with regards the coronavirus and in particular the opening of schools. The local authorities, the Department of Compulsory Education, management/schoolboards of the secondary and primary schools, Buzzy Bees Daycare Center and Happy Kids Daycare have decided schools will remain open in the interest of the education of the children of St. Eustatius. Parties have agreed to work together in these difficult and trying times. Parents and guardians will receive correspondence on this matter from the school their children attend.

The schools and the Public Entity of St. Eustatius have reached consensus that schools will remain open to; guarantee the continuous supervised education of the children; guarantee the continued supervised preparation of students who will sit exams in the coming months, guarantee students with special needs are not isolated and that schools, supported by the Unit Social Affairs, will provide care for students who may be experiencing trauma through a so-called ‘”return to happiness care package”.

Parties have also agreed to implement additional sanitary measures; school buses will be sanitized more frequently, schools will continue efforts to promote and monitor social distancing, while the Public Entity of St. Euststius will provide schools with extra sanitary supplies. “Recognizing that the situation with the coronavirus is changing from day to day parties have agreed to meet during the course of the coming week to re-assess the situation. In the meanwhile schools are making alternative plans in the event it may be required to close. We therefore rely on the cooperation and support of parents and guardians”, Marnix van Rij, Government Commissioner.

To date there are no suspected or confirmed cases of the coronavirus on St. Eustatius.

GIS Statia