THE HAGUE, WILLEMSTAD – Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science Rianne Letschert will visit Curaçao on Thursday, November 19, as part of a three-country Caribbean tour focused on strengthening cooperation in education, scientific research, and cultural heritage within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The minister's visit will include meetings with Governor Mauritsz de Kort, educational institutions, and representatives involved in preserving Curaçao's cultural and historical heritage. The trip also coincides with the annual Ministerial Four-Country Consultation on Education, Culture and Science (M4LO), which will take place in Sint Maarten.
Letschert will begin her Caribbean visit in Sint Maarten on Tuesday, November 17, where she will be received by Governor Ajamu Baly. She will subsequently visit the National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA), a vocational education institution, to discuss resilience and related educational challenges with teachers.
Later that day, the ministerial consultation will begin under the chairmanship of Sint Maarten.
The annual meeting brings together ministers responsible for education, culture, and science from Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Netherlands to discuss shared challenges and opportunities.
For the first time, representatives and island commissioners from the Caribbean Netherlands—Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba—will also participate.
Curaçao will be represented by Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Sithree van Heydoorn.
Other participants include Aruba's Prime Minister Mike Eman, who also holds responsibility for Culture, Environment and Nature; Sint Maarten's Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Melissa Gumbs; and Aruba's Minister of Education, Science and Sustainable Development Gerlien Croes.
Several issues affecting education throughout the Kingdom will be discussed.
One of the main topics is improving cooperation between educational institutions and the labor market, particularly through initiatives aimed at encouraging qualified professionals to return to the Caribbean after completing their studies abroad.
This approach, commonly referred to as "brain gain," seeks to address the loss of skilled workers and strengthen the availability of qualified professionals in the Caribbean countries.
The ministers will also discuss multilingual education, the use of mobile phones in classrooms, and cooperation on nominations to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list on behalf of the Kingdom.
Another important subject will be the Strategic Education Alliance (SEA), a Kingdom-wide initiative designed to improve the academic success of Caribbean students.
The participants will also review the Dutch Education Council's report on education in the Caribbean Netherlands.
Following the meetings in Sint Maarten, Letschert will travel to Curaçao on Thursday morning, November 19.
Her official program will begin with a reception hosted by Governor Mauritsz de Kort.
She will then visit the Parasasa Hotel, a training hotel where students gain practical experience in the hospitality industry.
The visit will provide an opportunity to learn more about vocational education in Curaçao and the connection between educational training and employment opportunities in the island's tourism and hospitality sector.
Later in the day, the Dutch minister will visit the University of Curaçao, where the first edition of the knowledge festival "Fit for the Future" will take place.
During the event, Letschert will participate in discussions about scientific research and the development of knowledge in the Caribbean region.
The festival will provide a platform for examining how research, education, and innovation can contribute to the future development of Caribbean societies.
The minister's program will also include a meeting with Curaçao's Slavery History Commemoration Committee.
This meeting will focus on getting acquainted with the committee and its work related to the commemoration of the island's slavery history.
Letschert will conclude her activities on Curaçao with a visit to Otrobanda, part of Willemstad's UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The following day, Friday, November 20, the minister will travel to Aruba, where she will be received by Governor Alfonso Boekhoudt.
Her program on Aruba includes visits to Scol Primario Kudawecha, the EPB vocational education institution, and the University of Aruba.
The visit to Scol Primario Kudawecha will take place in connection with Kibrahacha, a program focused on jointly training primary school teachers for Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.
The minister will conclude her Caribbean tour with a visit to the National Archives of Aruba.
The three-country visit is intended to strengthen cooperation among the Kingdom's education and cultural institutions while providing the Dutch minister with firsthand insight into the opportunities and challenges facing the Caribbean countries.
For Curaçao, the visit will place particular attention on vocational training, higher education, scientific research, and the preservation of cultural heritage, all areas that play an important role in the island's long-term social and economic development.