Maritsa Silberie new head of OCW department at Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland
Maritsa Silberie will become department head of Education Culture and Science Caribbean Netherlands (OCW) at Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland as of the 1st of February.
The Minister of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) has been responsible for education, culture and science policy on the three islands of the Caribbean Netherlands since the 10th of October 2010. The OCW-CN department at Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland works daily on the design and implementation of policy in the areas of education, culture, science and emancipation on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. They do so together with the ministry in The Hague. Besides education policy, for which the 3rd Education Agenda for the Caribbean Netherlands was recently adopted, cultural policy has also been intensified. The unique culture and nature of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, both above and below water, will also be better protected. OCW-CN is helping to realise these objectives in the Caribbean Netherlands.
Maritsa Silberie (56) was born on Bonaire. Started her career as a Dutch teacher at Stichting Schoolgemeenschap Bonaire. She was Minister of OCW from April 2004 to June 2006 during the time of Land Netherlands Antilles Curaçao. From July 2007 to June 2009, she was Deputy Minister of Education. Until recently, she worked as Senior Policy Officer and since November 2023 as Acting Department Head OCW. Department head OCW is a nice and logical step.
Maritsa:
"I feel honoured to hold this position and to provide the necessary knowledge, skills and competences. I am committed to continue building the future of the Caribbean Netherlands together with enthusiasm, with all colleagues and stakeholders on both sides of the ocean. Our children are the future. It is of great importance to invest in their well-being and in what they need to fully develop."
Director International Policy of OCW, Gerbert Kunst:
"Maritsa brings with her an enormous amount of knowledge and experience as the new head of the OCW department. She is therefore the right woman in the right place to continue building a future-proof Caribbean Netherlands together with her team and in good cooperation with the OCW colleagues in The Hague."
Director Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, Tim Muller:
"I know Maritsa as someone with a warm heart for education and culture in the Caribbean. She has already shown a lot in those areas. She is a real team player. Her style, knowledge, experience and broad network will come in handy for the ambitions at hand. I warmly congratulate her on this great step."