Cooperation to increase academic success among Caribbean students to be continued
From more guidance in study choice to internships and study exchanges. The Strategic Education Alliance programme (SEA) is an important initiative between governments and educational institutions of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Netherlands. It aims to make the transition to further education easier in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom and to better prepare students for studying in the Netherlands or elsewhere. Today, this programme, which aims to increase the academic success of Caribbean students, was extended until 31 December 2028.
That is one of the agreements made during the Ministerial Four-Country Consultation OCW (M4LO) on Bonaire. Every year, the Ministers of Education, Culture and Science of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Netherlands meet during M4LO. During this consultation, the Netherlands also represents Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.
Minister Moes:
“We want to make the most of all the talent in our Kingdom. Together with my fellow Ministers from the other three countries of the Kingdom, we have worked hard in recent years to increase cooperation between the Caribbean region and the Netherlands in the fields of education, culture and science. Successfully. For example, a strong network of teachers, counsellors and support staff has been established in the Netherlands and on the islands to help young people from the Caribbean part of the Kingdom make the right study choices and develop their talents”.
The SEA programme offers, among other things, Kingdom scholarships for students at the level of Senior Secondary Vocational Education (MBO), Higher Professional Education (HBO) and University Education (WO) for study exchanges or internships in another part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. They also receive better guidance. For example, universities of applied sciences and vocational colleges in the Netherlands are collaborating in the SEA programme to improve the intake and progression of Caribbean students. More and more universities of applied sciences and vocational colleges now have special introduction days or mentoring programmes for young people from the Caribbean. Every year, more than 1,600 young people from this part of the Kingdom begin their studies in the Netherlands.
Furthermore, the Ministers decided to work with educational institutions to promote brain gain (retaining and attracting talent). The aim is to interest young people in working in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom in order to thus combat labour shortages.
Another step in the strengthening of education in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom is the expansion of the successful partnership ‘Kibrahacha’. This programme currently focuses on training teachers for primary education in Aruba and Curaçao and on Bonaire. Teacher training programmes for secondary education and vocational education will also be added soon.
St. Maarten and the Netherlands are also investigating whether a similar initiative can be launched in the Windward Islands. Kibrahacha combines traditional teacher training with practical classroom experience. School trainers play an important role in mentoring future teachers in the workplace.
Finally, during the M4LO, a procedure was established for joint nominations for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list on behalf of the entire Kingdom. The craft of the miller, the parade culture and the summer carnival in Rotterdam are already on this list on behalf of the Netherlands.