WILLEMSTAD – Ministers from across the Kingdom have agreed to continue the Strategic Education Alliance (SEA) — the Kingdom-wide partnership aimed at improving Caribbean students’ transition to postsecondary education — until the end of 2028. The announcement was included in the formal report delivered to the Dutch Parliament following the November meeting of the Ministerieel Vierlandenoverleg OCW (M4LO).
The SEA programme, first established in 2023, focuses on the entire student journey, from choosing a course of study and preparation, to support after arrival and through graduation, particularly in European Netherlands contexts. The extension underscores continued commitment to closing educational gaps and helping more students complete and succeed in their studies abroad.
Among the initiatives supported under SEA is the Caribbean Academic Foundation Year (CAFY) programme, which provides up to 10 months of preparatory academic and personal development for Caribbean students before they begin formal degrees. The ministers noted CAFY’s success across Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Saba and Statia, and are exploring ways to adapt similar models for Bonaire’s vocational education system.