The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) has taken an important step toward strengthening vocational education and improving the connection between education and the labor market in Sint Maarten. A plan of action was recently approved by the Council of Ministers and the Temporary Work Organization (TWO).
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Melissa Gumbs, together with representatives from the ministry, project coordinator Martijn van der Linden, and TWO Country Advisor Demi Bute.
The project, now in the implementation phase, focuses on strengthening Preparatory Secondary Vocational Education (VSBO), Secondary Vocational Education (SBO), and better aligning education and training with the needs of the labor market. In this process, the action plan is translated into concrete steps, necessary structures are established, and key stakeholders are engaged, with the goal of fostering strong collaboration among schools, employers, students, parents, and other involved parties.
A key component of the reform is the activation of the Council of Education and Labor (ROA). This council will serve as an advisory body, providing guidance on the alignment between education and the labor market, identifying educational and training programs that meet labor market needs, and monitoring labor market developments.
Alongside the activation of the CEL/ROA, the project will focus on strengthening Preparatory Secondary Vocational Education (PSVE/VSBO) and Secondary Vocational Education (SBO). The project will consist of a study of the current PSVE/VSBO and SBO system, identification of gaps and overlaps, curriculum renewal, improved awareness and career guidance for students.
Minister Gumbs said:” Our young people deserve an education system that prepares them for real opportunities and responds to where our economy and society are going. The CEL/ROA must be properly established, supported and active, with the right stakeholders at the table and a clear focus on producing meaningful advice that can be translated into action. I am therefore pleased to see this work finally moving forward, and I look forward to seeing the CEL/ROA become a functioning and valuable part of how we shape vocational education and our workforce for the future.”