WILLEMSTAD – Papiamentu teacher Eugène Maduro is again calling on Curaçao’s Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports to clarify his position on the rules governing core subjects for HAVO and VWO (High School) examinations, warning that students could be denied a diploma because of a single insufficient grade despite otherwise strong academic results.
In a letter to the minister, Maduro says he submitted a written request more than a month ago asking for an evaluation of the current core-subject regulation but has yet to receive a substantive response.
With the 2026-2027 school year now underway, Maduro argues that the issue has become increasingly urgent for students preparing to take their final examinations.
According to Maduro, students and parents have a right to know whether the minister considers the existing regulation fair, proportional and necessary, or whether the government is prepared to review or amend it.
The concern centers on students who perform well overall but receive an insufficient grade in one of the designated core subjects. Maduro questions whether it is proportionate for such a result to have potentially decisive consequences for obtaining a HAVO or VWO diploma.
He stresses that his request is not intended to lower educational standards or weaken academic requirements.
Instead, Maduro says the fundamental issue is whether a student who demonstrates sufficient knowledge and ability through an otherwise strong set of grades should face such significant consequences because of one insufficient grade in a core subject.
“Education policy should not only set high standards, but should also be reasonable, proportional and fair,” Maduro argues in the letter.
He says that if the minister believes the existing rules are justified, that position should be communicated clearly and directly to students, parents and the education sector. That would at least allow examination candidates to know exactly what requirements they face and what the consequences could be for their diploma.
If, however, the minister believes the regulation can produce unfair or disproportionate outcomes in certain circumstances, Maduro wants the government to explain what concrete steps it intends to take to investigate and, where necessary, correct the situation.
Maduro is specifically asking whether his earlier request has been studied, what the minister’s substantive position is on the current core-subject rules, whether the minister believes they produce fair and proportional outcomes in all cases, and what measures could be taken if a review or amendment is considered necessary.
He is also pressing for a response within a short period, arguing that students preparing for examinations cannot remain uncertain for months about rules that could directly determine whether they receive their diploma.
Maduro, a second-degree Papiamentu teacher, concludes that students, parents and Curaçao’s education sector should be able to expect a clear position from the ministry on an issue with potentially significant consequences for young people’s educational future.