WILLEMSTAD – Migrant children without legal residency status in Curaçao are formally allowed to attend school but often cannot obtain a diploma. This is the central finding of a new report from Human Rights Defense Curaçao (HRDC), which highlights the impact of legal uncertainty and limited access to care on children’s motivation, well-being, and sense of belonging.
One student interviewed summarized the frustration: “It’s as if my education ends here. I can’t go further, so why continue?”
The study, carried out in July and August, is based on four focus groups with school principals, social workers, psychologists, parents, and children, involving 27 respondents in total. HRDC director Simone de Brabander said the findings confirm what schools and service providers have observed for years: a structural gap between Curaçao’s commitment to international children’s rights and the realities on the ground.
Diplomas out of reach
The main barrier is that children without identity documents are not eligible for official diplomas. While compulsory education laws apply to all children, schools are left to decide how to handle undocumented students. Some issue informal certificates, while others refuse to provide any proof of completion, creating uncertainty and inequality.
A social worker noted that the policy directly affects motivation: “Children who are told they won’t get a diploma see no point in trying. Some drop out entirely.”
Psychological pressure and exclusion
Beyond education, the report highlights severe psychological effects. Children live under constant uncertainty about their future, fear of deportation, and experiences of discrimination. Several students reported being told in class to “go back to your country.”
Psychologists who participated in the study described the impact as “devastating,” citing stress, depression, and behavioral problems. One girl stopped studying altogether after learning she would not be allowed to graduate. Experts warn these outcomes directly violate the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Parents under pressure
Parents said they feel proud of their children but helpless as they watch them become demotivated. Legalizing a family is financially out of reach. One mother calculated she would need 36,000 guilders annually to legalize her four children: “That amount is impossible. We want to contribute to Curaçao, but they make it very difficult for us.”
Families also face limited access to healthcare and psychological support. Without SVB insurance, children cannot be referred to specialists, leaving parents reliant on underfunded charities.
Recommendations for reform
HRDC is calling on the government to establish clear rules guaranteeing diplomas for all children, regardless of legal status. The report also recommends expanding language and integration programs in Papiamentu and Dutch, assigning psychologists and social workers to schools, and implementing anti-discrimination measures, including a reporting system for children. It further urges simplified and more affordable legalization procedures, such as student permits.
According to the report, only through such reforms can Curaçao prevent undocumented children from being permanently excluded from education and a future. One parent put it bluntly: “We want to contribute to the economy, but they hold us back. If we were legal, we could help much more.”
