WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao government has formally invited education unions SITEK and DOEN to an urgent meeting on Tuesday to discuss growing concerns about safety in schools following a serious incident involving a student and a teacher last week.
The meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 22, at 2:00 p.m. at Fort Amsterdam, according to a letter dated September 20 from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport (OWCS) addressed to the leadership of both unions.
The government said the meeting was called in response to the recent serious incident at a school operated by the Public Schools Service (DOS), as well as broader concerns currently being raised within the education sector about safety at schools.
Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Shalten Hato and Minister of Social Development, Labor and Welfare Charetti America-Francisca are expected to attend the meeting. The Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport will participate virtually.
The invitation follows an incident last week in which a student reportedly pulled a knife during a conflict at a school. A teacher who intervened to stop the confrontation was injured. The incident has intensified concerns among teachers and other education professionals about violence and safety on school grounds.
According to the government letter, ministers want to hear directly from the unions about the concerns, experiences and issues being raised by their members.
The meeting will also examine measures that have already been introduced and additional actions being prepared to strengthen the safety of teachers, students and other school employees.
The government said input from the education sector will be taken into account when determining what additional measures are necessary and feasible.
The talks come amid mounting pressure from education unions for stronger action. SITEK called education personnel to a general meeting on Monday morning to discuss school safety, while DOEN has also expressed concern about the situation.
The government previously announced that schools would remain open Monday and said existing school safety measures would be accelerated and, where necessary, strengthened. Protocols dealing with serious violence and the presence of weapons or other dangerous objects at schools are also being reviewed.
Tuesday's meeting at Fort Amsterdam is expected to provide the first direct high-level discussion between the government and the two education unions since the latest incident.