WILLEMSTAD - The Curaçao government is considering new measures to encourage young people to pursue teaching careers, recognizing the global need to attract and retain quality educators.
Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, Sithree van Heydoorn (MFK), highlighted the urgency of addressing the teacher shortage during the budget debate. “Efforts are being made to inspire young people early on to consider teaching as a career,” the minister stated.
A key proposal under review comes from the Foundation for Student Financing (SSC), which has suggested offering full forgiveness of student loans for individuals who complete a teacher training program and commit to teaching on the island for at least five years.
In addition to the teacher shortage, the discussion raised questions about the lack of interest in fisheries education among young people. Van Heydoorn proposed conducting a survey through the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) to explore the reasons behind the low enrollment. The government aims to ensure investments in educational programs align with actual demand to avoid unnecessary expenditures.
These initiatives underline the government’s commitment to tackling critical shortages in education while ensuring effective resource allocation.