WILLEMSTAD – Teachers’ union Doen has issued an open letter calling on the Pisas II government to take urgent action on the longstanding issues affecting education personnel in Curaçao. The union claims that structural problems have been ignored for years and that efforts to engage with Minister Shalten Hato (MFK) of Governance, Planning, and Public Services have failed to materialize.
“Since this government took office, four salary scales have been eliminated, seven remain below the minimum wage, and the lack of teaching hours in preparatory vocational education (VSBO) remains unresolved,” the union stated. Additionally, salary increases from 2016 have yet to be paid, and support staff still do not have fair employment rights.
Doen also criticized the absence of heat protocols and uniform guidelines for schools, arguing that this contributes to educational inequality. The union is once again demanding to be included in the Central Organized Consultation in Civil Service Affairs (CGOA) to ensure public sector representation in decision-making.
The open letter is addressed not only to the government but also to the public and the eight political parties participating in the upcoming elections. Doen urges all stakeholders to prioritize education, emphasizing that the future of the island depends on it.