WILLEMSTAD – Teacher and entrepreneur Eugène Maduro says Curaçao’s news media should devote more attention to fundamental questions about the island’s education system instead of primarily focusing on education when examinations, strikes, incidents or practical disputes make the news.
Maduro made the argument as part of his latest contribution to the debate over the future of education in Curaçao, in which he has broadened his earlier criticism of individual policies into a discussion about the structure and philosophy of the education system itself.
According to Maduro, journalists do not have to support a particular vision for education, but they should be prepared to critically examine the assumptions underlying the existing system.
Questions about curriculum, language, educational quality and the broader purpose of education deserve more sustained scrutiny, he argues.
The issue is part of a wider question Maduro is raising: whether Curaçao’s education system itself is sufficiently suited to Curaçao’s children.
In previous contributions, Maduro has addressed examination requirements, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and the position of Caribbean history and thinkers within the curriculum. He now argues that these issues are connected to the broader question of how Curaçao uses its autonomy.
Rather than continually asking what the Netherlands does or which foreign models Curaçao should adopt, Maduro believes policymakers should begin by asking what children on the island need to succeed in Curaçao and internationally.
He argues that this should include greater attention to critical thinking, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, communication, problem-solving, digital skills and artificial intelligence.
At the same time, Maduro believes understanding the historical origins of the current education system remains necessary. He says some patterns of dependence have deep social and historical roots and can influence how Curaçao determines what constitutes valuable knowledge and expertise.
However, Maduro said his intention is not to assign blame.
“I want to be part of the solutions and alternatives,” he said.
His latest position therefore goes beyond advocating changes to individual subjects or educational regulations. Instead, he is asking policymakers, educators, parents and the media to examine the underlying philosophy of Curaçao’s education system.
The central question, according to Maduro, should no longer be only whether Curaçao’s children are performing well enough within the existing system.
The more fundamental question is whether the existing system is good enough for Curaçao’s children.