Onderwijsraad says Dutch education system is falling short in the Dutch Caribbean islands

THE HAGUE--The Dutch Education Council, Onderwijsraad, says children and young people in Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius are still not adequately guaranteed their right to quality education, more than 15 years after the islands became part of the Dutch education system. The council is urging the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science to better align legislation, policy and implementation with the specific realities of education in the Dutch Caribbean, and says this will require additional effort and funding.

In a report published on April 13, the council said the Dutch government carries equal responsibility for education in both European Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean, but the practical conditions needed to deliver good education on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius are still lacking. According to the council, schools and education institutions on the islands operate in small-scale island settings, far from the European Netherlands, with less access to tools, resources and support that are more readily available in the European part of the country.

Onderwijsraad said these structural vulnerabilities should not continue to fall on individual schools and education bodies. It is recommending higher basic funding, practical targeted measures, and policy and legal frameworks that better reflect local conditions and needs on the islands.

The council also called for a stronger focus on the different future paths open to students in the Dutch Caribbean. It said young people should be better prepared to continue into further study or employment on their home island, elsewhere in the Caribbean region, or in the European Netherlands. At present, the council noted, students who wish to continue their studies in the European Netherlands often face obstacles, including Dutch language requirements and the limited connection between English-language CXC education on Saba and St. Eustatius and follow-up education opportunities.

Among its recommendations, Onderwijsraad said Dutch language instruction should be strengthened and made more flexible, while pathways within the Caribbean region, within the Kingdom, and between Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius should also be expanded and better supported financially. The council said these routes can provide realistic and valuable alternatives to studying in the European Netherlands, where the current policy focus remains strongest.

The report also points to growing pressure on education staff across the islands. According to the council, teacher turnover is high, vacancies are difficult to fill, and schools are dealing with increasingly complex teaching and support demands due to a student population that is growing in both size and diversity.

To address these issues, Onderwijsraad is recommending structural support for recruiting and onboarding teachers, along with more opportunities for training and knowledge-sharing within and between education teams. It is also calling for stronger school leadership and governance, including management development programs, better onboarding systems, and the creation of a dedicated support office.

The findings are contained in the publication Onderwijs in Caribisch Nederland, which was prepared at the request of the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science. The publication consists of three parts: conclusions and recommendations, thematic analysis of the education system on the islands, and background information. Onderwijsraad said part of the work was carried out in close cooperation with island commissions made up of people working in education on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius.

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