WILLEMSTAD - The Protestant Christian Education Association (VPCO) will start bilingual education (TTO) at the VSBO schools Marnix College Rio Canario and Dr. Albert Schweitzer College Parera. VPCO reports this in a press release.

The bilingual education program will be offered in addition to the existing Dutch-language program. Parents and students can choose from both programs.

"The VPCO has gained extensive experience in providing bilingual education at the Dr. Albert Schweitzer HAVO VWO and also wants to introduce the successful program at its VSBO schools," said director Maghalie van der Bunt-George.

The VPCO is a member of Nuffic's TTO network and follows the Dutch TTO model. In the Netherlands, the bilingual program in VMBO has been around for several years. The TTO program for VSBO is structured in such a way that thirty percent of the courses are taught in English. According to VPCO, this has no negative influence on the Dutch language skills of students.

"The bilingual education program focuses on the one hand on the development of all languages; the Dutch language, the English language and Papiamentu," says Van der Bunt-George.

The first cohort of TTO students at the Dr. Albert Schweitzer HAVO VWO was followed for three years by Nihayra Leona from the University of Amsterdam. This research has shown that the TTO students have developed very well in English, Dutch, and Papiamentu.

Regarding the Dutch and English language, the TTO students of the Dr. Albert Schweitzer HAVO and VWO are even better than the average student in the Netherlands, according to the language tests taken.