WILLEMSTAD – The reform of the education system in Curaçao is still in full development, with major education laws and financing regulations scheduled to be amended and introduced from 2027 onward. This emerges from the government’s response to parliamentary questions submitted by Giselle Mc William to the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport regarding current education policy.
According to the minister, the policy referenced in the questions is based on a strategic plan that draws on the 2023 baseline measurement, recent reports on the state of education, and agreements included in the Landspakket reform framework. These elements form the foundation for an improvement plan that will guide education policy through 2028.
At the same time, the ministry is still working on defining what should be considered the basic quality of education. Once this framework has been completed, it will be submitted to the Curaçao Parliament for review. The minister indicated that aligning education policy with education financing is a key objective in this process.
In cooperation with external organizations, the ministry is developing a new financing system that is intended to match the yet-to-be-established standards for basic educational quality. According to the current planning, the policy frameworks are expected to be finalized by the end of 2026. This would allow for amendments to the education financing law and the law on primary and secondary education in early 2027, with ratification and implementation foreseen for the period 2027 to 2028.
The minister also addressed delays in updating education legislation, noting that a shortage of legislative legal experts has slowed progress. Through the Landspakket and cooperation with Dutch ministries, a legislative jurist has now been recruited to support the process. At present, priority is being given to four other education laws, including those governing higher education, special education, school supervision, and school safety. Revisions to the law on primary and secondary education will follow thereafter.
In addition, the response highlights ongoing challenges related to teacher shortages. The ministry is working on measures such as analyzing the distribution of students across schools and classrooms, revising employment conditions, and strengthening teacher training and professional development. These efforts are being carried out in collaboration with the University of Curaçao and other training institutes.
With its responses, the minister makes clear that Curaçao’s education policy, along with the supporting legislation and financing structures, remains a work in progress and will continue to be developed and refined in the coming years.