WILLEMSTAD - Minister Sithree van Heydoorn of Education announced this week in Parliament that his ministry will implement a five-year, 260 million education improvement plan. The goal is to bridge the gap between high-performing and lower-performing schools in Curaçao. He did not disclose the source of the funding for this ambitious initiative.
This comprehensive plan, based on an extensive baseline assessment and collaboration between Curaçao and Dutch inspections, promises a significant restructuring of the current education system.
The plans, designed in response to challenges and opportunities identified in the baseline report, include enhancements in digital infrastructure, education quality, and organizational structure. With the introduction of a new financing system and legislation, the government aims to combat inefficiencies within education and allocate resources more effectively.
Digitization
A key component of the plan is the digitization of educational data, providing a more transparent overview of the educational landscape on the island. However, the minister pointed out technical limitations that hindered the presentation to the parliament yesterday, serving as a reminder of the challenges that still need to be overcome.
The approach also focuses on reducing the number of schools and centralizing study programs in response to declining student numbers. This requires a collective effort and collaboration among schools, involving the sharing of experiences, facilities, and resources.
Conference
To ensure the quality of education, a conference will be organized to establish basic quality requirements for schools. This includes aspects such as the curriculum, the pedagogical and didactic skills of teachers, and the care and performance of students.
The success of this program heavily relies on the involvement and development of teachers, emphasized the minister. A steering committee will oversee the implementation of the program, involving both local and international experts.
Limitations
Despite the positive outlook presented by Minister Van Heydoorn in parliament, he did not address the limitations identified by the authors of the baseline assessment. This particularly applies to recommendations in areas such as qualified personnel, required skills for good governance and supervision, and specialties related to the modernization of legislation.
Not everything can be done simultaneously, and the report also provides guidance on phasing, but ultimately choices need to be made by the Minister. The authors assume that meaningful steps can be taken in all mentioned areas over the next four years.