THE HAGUE – The Dutch government recognizes the concerning situation in Curaçao’s primary and secondary education system but emphasizes that education is an autonomous matter for the country of Curaçao. This was revealed in responses from Minister Eppo Bruins and State Secretary Mariëlle Paul of Education, Culture, and Science to parliamentary questions from MP Raoul White (GroenLinks-PvdA).
White sought clarification following the third critical report in a short period about education in Curaçao. The Dutch officials acknowledged persistent issues but stressed that the Netherlands only collaborates with Caribbean countries on a voluntary basis to implement improvements. This cooperation, including through the Four-Country Education Consultations (M4LO), involves projects such as Kibrahacha (for teacher training) and the Strategic Education Alliance (SEA) program.
Notably, the poor state of Curaçao’s basic education was not specifically discussed during the latest Four-Country Consultations in November 2024. However, working groups like "Rode Draden Doorlichting" (Common Threads Review) are collaborating to follow up on recommendations from inspection reports.
In contrast, the BES islands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba) fall under direct Dutch administration. The Netherlands says it is actively working on educational improvements there—partly in response to MP White’s motion—through separate education agendas for each island.