Since 2010, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba have been special municipalities of the Netherlands, which means they fall under the Dutch education system. Because there are limited opportunities for further education on the islands, students often move to the Netherlands to continue their studies.

However, education on the islands does not sufficiently prepare them for that step, the Dutch Education Council (or Onderwijsraad) writes in a new report. Language proficiency in particular is a major challenge: a strong command of Dutch is essential for students who want to study in the Netherlands. But those who go to another Caribbean island or to the United States instead need to be proficient in Papiamento or English.

Specific vulnerabilities

The islands face specific vulnerabilities, the report’s authors write: schools are small, geographically distant from the European Netherlands, and do not have the same access to resources and support. As a result, they are not always adequately equipped to prepare students for higher education.

This has consequences: about a quarter of young people from the Caribbean Netherlands who go on to study in the European Netherlands drop out early, mainly due to language difficulties.

Differentiation

The Dutch Education Council is therefore calling on the Minister of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) to improve education. It is important that this is done in a way that fits the specific context of the islands. Applying the same rules across the entire country may sound fair, but in practice leads to unequal outcomes. That is why it is “necessary to differentiate more in the approach.”

The council advocates, among other things, for additional investment in Dutch language teachers on the islands. Schools could also offer supplementary Dutch classes to students who plan to study in the Netherlands.

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.