Irion, Roseburg Question school entry and donation approval rules, but policy not new

GREAT BAY--Members of Parliament Ardwell Irion and Sjamira Roseburg raised concerns in Parliament about the requirement for individuals and entities to obtain written approval before entering public schools to donate, deliver presentations, or carry out activities. While the issue was raised as a current concern, the policy itself is not new and has been previously explained by Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs as an existing protocol intended to ensure transparency, accountability, and proper oversight.

In his remarks, MP Irion said he was concerned about what has become known publicly as the “Roseburg policy,” referring to reports that Members of Parliament and members of the public must first obtain written approval from the Minister of ECYS before entering public schools to donate or speak with students. More specifically, Irion was referring to Roseburg being informed by the ECYS Ministry that permission was required after she facilitated a visit by the marines to the St. Maarten Vocational Training School.

Irion questioned the rationale for the procedure, stating he did not understand why it exists and warning it could create a disadvantage for public schools. He said potential donors may choose to support private or other non-public schools instead of going through what he described as an additional process.

Irion noted that the policy is said to exist to protect staff and students, but argued that when a school requests a speaker or donation, it can reasonably be assumed the school has already considered basic safety and background checks. He said the approval requirement may create delays and discourage support for public schools.

MP Roseburg followed by seeking clarification, saying (jokingly) she was not familiar with a policy being labeled in her name. She said she is aware, however, that the matter became more widely discussed following attention around the military entering schools to assist vocational students, and said she understood a policy is now being referenced in that context.

Roseburg told Parliament she wants clarity on whether the policy has been in place for a long time or whether it was introduced more recently. She said she understood from Minister Gumbs that the policy has been in place for some time and asked that this be clearly confirmed.

The policy was previously addressed publicly by Minister of ECYS Melissa Gumbs during parliamentary discussions, including the first session of the 2025 budget debate in December 2024. At that time, Gumbs explained that donations to public schools must be processed through the Office of the Minister of ECYS and its Department of Public Education in a coordinating role. She noted that some schools had not followed the protocol, leading to confusion and inefficiencies, and emphasized that initiatives to secure funding or donations must go through the proper channels to ensure transparency and accountability.

Then in May 2025, Minister Gumbs again addressed the topic, stressing the importance of moving beyond one-off donations toward a more sustainable model. She said she prefers “structural” support that can be maintained over time, rather than assistance that appears once and disappears the next year. She also urged donors to give ethically and with genuine intent, stating that while support is welcome and appreciated, giving should not be driven by branding or optics.

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