Strategic Education Alliance program extended through December 31, 2028

BONAIRE--The Strategic Education Alliance program, SEA, a joint effort of governments and education institutions in Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Netherlands, has been extended through December 31, 2028. The program helps Caribbean students in the Kingdom move more smoothly into further education and better prepare for study in the Netherlands or elsewhere.

The extension was one of the outcomes of the Ministerial Four-Country Consultation on Education, Culture and Science, M4LO, held on Bonaire. The ministers of education, culture and science of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Netherlands meet annually under M4LO. In these talks, the Netherlands also represents Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.

Signing the agreements were St. Maarten's Minister of Education Culture Youth and Sports, Melissa Gumbs, Curaçao: Sithree “Cey” van Heydoorn, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, from the Netherlands: Gouke Moes, Minister of Education, Culture and Science, and from Aruba: Gerlien L. Croes, Minister of Kingdom Relations, Education, Youth, Innovation and Sports

SEA offers kingdom scholarships for MBO, HBO and WO students to study, exchange or take an internship in another part of the Kingdom, with better guidance throughout. Universities of applied sciences and MBOs in the Netherlands are collaborating to improve admission and progression for Caribbean students. More institutions now organize special introduction days or mentoring for students from the Caribbean. Each year, more than 1,600 young people from this part of the Kingdom begin studies in the Netherlands.

The ministers also agreed to work with education institutions on brain gain, retaining and bringing back talent. The goal is to interest young people in work opportunities in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, helping to address labor shortages.

Another step is an expansion of the teacher-training partnership “Kibrahacha,” which currently focuses on primary teacher training in Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Tracks for secondary education and secondary vocational education will be added. St. Maarten and the Netherlands are exploring whether a similar program can start on the Windward Islands. Kibrahacha links conventional teacher education with practical classroom experience, with school educators playing a central role in guiding future teachers at work.

Finally, during M4LO a procedure was set up for joint nominations to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage on behalf of the entire Kingdom. Items already on the list for the Netherlands include the miller’s craft, parade culture, and Rotterdam’s summer carnival.

Photo caption from left: Signing the agreements were St. Maarten's Minister of Education Culture Youth and Sports, Melissa Gumbs, Curaçao: Sithree “Cey” van Heydoorn, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, from the Netherlands: Gouke Moes, Minister of Education, Culture and Science, and from Aruba: Gerlien L. Croes, Minister of Kingdom Relations, Education, Youth, Innovation and Sports

𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦: 𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘳𝘪𝘫𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴

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