GREAT BAY:--- The Ministry of Public Health Social Development & Labor has started their 2014 "School to Work Survey" in the secondary schools. This survey is prepared by the Department of Labor for the secondary and tertiary education exam students, with the intention to gather relevant information regarding their choices in the future.
"It is important as a country for us to know what the career intentions of our young people are for our labor market. This is one way we can develop the necessary policies to combat youth unemployment, which is not only a problem here on St. Maarten, but worldwide as well," said Minister of Public Health Social Development & Labor, Cornelius De Weever.
The information will also be used (along with other pertinent research studies) to create the first National Youth Employment Policy. The "school to work" survey 2014, began March 31, 2014 and it will continue with all the (secondary & tertiary) schools until April 12, 2014. The Department of Labor initiated the first "school-to-work" survey in 2013 and will be conducting the survey for the following 3 years in order to develop suitable policies and programs for the youths.
This survey will indicate whether they decide to further their education or seek employment. At the same time the survey will also focus on other important aspects of their development, awareness and social needs. Therefore, the information extracted from this survey will be analyzed yearly and compared to the previous years. During the survey the students voiced their appreciation and their expectation of being regularly included in programs geared towards them, illustrating the importance of such a survey.
Minister De Weever further stated that this information will also be used as the initial documents as soon as the council for education and labor (ROA) is established.