On August 17, schools across Curaçao will open their doors for a new academic year. Thousands of children will enter classrooms with excitement, teachers will prepare their lessons, and parents will do everything possible to provide their children with the best opportunities.
But this moment should represent more than just the beginning of another school year. It should be a moment of national reflection: What kind of country do we want to build over the next ten to twenty years?
If Curaçao wants a strong economy, a modern government and greater opportunities for all citizens, there is only one answer: education.
The preliminary results of the 2025 Social Survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) provide valuable information to support this conclusion. The survey, which represents an initial exploration of the data, shows that the largest groups within the population have LBO education (20.3%) or SBO level 2-4 education (17.7%) as their highest completed level of education. CBS has indicated that more detailed analyses will follow throughout the year.
These figures should not be seen as criticism of our people. They are a signal that Curaçao has a foundation on which we can continue building. However, in a world where technology, artificial intelligence, robotics and digitalization are transforming the labor market every year, we must prepare the next generation for jobs that may not even exist today.
Therefore, the question is not only how many children attend school.
The real question is: what quality of education are we providing them?
Education is not an expense — it is an investment
Governments often view education as a cost within the national budget. That is a mistake.
Every country that has successfully transformed its economy has done so by investing in human capital. No country can become innovative without well-prepared citizens. No economy can increase productivity without workers who possess knowledge and the ability to continue adapting.
This means Curaçao must invest in:
- higher quality basic education;
- reading, writing and mathematics as the foundation of development;
- STEM education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics);
- digital literacy;
- language skills;
- critical thinking;
- technical and vocational training connected to the labor market.
However, all these ideas remain only words on paper if we do not focus on the most important person in the process: the teacher.
Teacher shortage is a national crisis
Today, Curaçao is facing a serious shortage of teachers. Schools are struggling to fill vacancies, existing teachers are carrying additional responsibilities, and pressure on the education system continues to increase.
This situation is not merely an administrative problem. It is a challenge that can affect an entire generation of children.
Without teachers, there is no quality education.
And without quality education, there is no future.
That is why PAR has placed this issue high on its agenda. The solution should not only involve higher salaries, but also a comprehensive plan to make teaching a more attractive profession.
This could include:
- scholarships for young people who want to study education;
- improved working conditions;
- more opportunities for professional development;
- a plan to retain experienced teachers;
- an active policy to attract teachers from Curaçao who currently live in the Netherlands or other countries to return and contribute to the island.
Teaching is the profession that creates all other professions.
Without teachers, there are no doctors.
Without teachers, there are no nurses.
Without teachers, there are no lawyers, engineers, accountants or entrepreneurs.
Education starts at home
Responsibility does not belong only to schools.
Children who receive support at home have a much greater opportunity to succeed academically. Parents who read with their children, show interest in homework, attend school meetings and encourage learning make a significant difference.
Therefore, a serious education policy must also include families. Schools and homes cannot work separately.
Poverty and education are connected
The 2025 Social Survey also indicates that more than half of Curaçaoan households feel that their income is insufficient to cover financial obligations, while a significant part of the population struggles to meet basic expenses.
This has direct consequences for education.
A child who goes to school without proper nutrition, without internet access at home, without a quiet place to study or whose parents live under constant financial stress starts school with a disadvantage.
Therefore, fighting poverty and improving education are not two separate policies. They are two parts of the same solution.
A vision for 2040
PAR has always defended that good governance must be based on data and not emotions.
The 2025 Social Survey offers exactly that: information that can help create policies that look beyond the next election cycle.
Curaçao must have the courage to establish clear goals:
- every child should leave school with a strong foundation in reading, writing and mathematics;
- every young person should have a pathway toward further education or professional training;
- no child should fall behind solely because of financial circumstances;
- every school should have access to enough qualified teachers.
The future begins in the classroom
When schools reopen on August 17, many people will talk about uniforms, books and school supplies. All of these things are important.
But the bigger question is different:
Are we preparing our children for the future, or are we continuing to prepare them for a past that no longer exists?
If Curaçao wants to compete in the global economy, retain its talent and provide every child with a real opportunity to succeed, the smartest investment is not only in concrete, roads or buildings.
The most important investment is in the minds of our children.
And the person who shapes those minds is the teacher.
Therefore, PAR continues to work toward a stronger, more modern and fairer Curaçao, where education is not merely another chapter in a government program.
Education is the foundation of every other reform.
Drs. Luigi A. Faneyte MSc CFE CICA CCS
Politician | Economist | Financial Expert | Consultant | Auditor | Analyst | Researcher | Teacher
Collaborator of the PAR parliamentary faction in the Curaçao Parliament