Philipsburg:--- Some 18 students who completed the Teachers Education Program (TEP) that is offered at the University of Saint Martin (USM) are now in limbo as the Minister of Education Dr. Rhoda Arrindell decided that she will not sign or distribute their certificates unless an assessment of the school's curriculum is completed. Graduation is scheduled for June 18th.Minister of Education Dr. Rhoda Arrindell said last week that her Ministry and USM had decided to have an assessment done on the institution's curriculum by an external agency. During the Council of Ministers Press Briefing on Wednesday this week, Minister Dr. Arrindell explained that she entered into discussions with USM after the institution sent her two letters, one requesting that she recognize USM as the authorized agency to grant students the Bachelors of Arts degree and the other requesting that she distribute the certificates during the graduation ceremony.
The Education Minister said during those discussions the institution agreed to conduct the studies of which her Ministry will pay half of the cost. Minister Arrindell said government cannot take a decision to make them the authorized institution on St. Maarten unless USM complies with the required curriculum for a Bachelors of Arts degree in Education. Minister Dr. Arrindell said government has no way of knowing if the students completed the full course for such degree. She said when the study is completed and if it is found that the students did not complete a full course then those students would have to complete the program before being given a Bachelors of Arts degree. The Minister said unless government can guarantee that USM's curriculum complies with the requirements, government cannot grant them the recognition they requested neither can they recognize the degrees.
Dr. Arrindell said a meeting was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon with her and the graduating students. In an invited comment Chairlady of USM board Valerie Gitterson Pantophlet referred SMN News to the institution's president who took office on May 1.
In an invited comment, President of USM Annelies van den Assem said she informed the students of the current situation. Van den Assem said the Ministry of Education is already in contact with two companies that can handle the assessment. However, she does not know which of the two companies is going to be used. Van den Assem said they are hopeful that the outcome of the assessment is positive which would not affect the students.
Acting Dean Glen Young said that the only set of students that are affected are the TEP students. Young said it is his opinion that all the students including the TEP students will graduate come July 18th.