RING ROAD:--- As part of the emergency relief efforts, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) received 3 pavilions from the Netherlands on the Karel Doorman’s first trip to St. Maarten. The construction of the first of four pavilions began on Monday, October 16th on the Ring Road. The pavilions were given to the schools which received the most damage and were left without classrooms or an alternate location. The Charlotte Brookson Academy, the St. Maarten Academy and the MAC High are the three schools which will be utilizing the pavilions until the repairs at the schools have been completed.
The pavilions are being constructed with representatives of Intertent, who are the manufacturers of the pavilions, the marines, the GENIE group of engineers, the Ministry of VROMI, as well as local contractors. Mr. Frits de Boer and Mr. Jeroen Harlaar, two representatives of Intertent, were deployed to St. Maarten to assist in the safety of the construction of the pavilions. Four more representatives from Intertent will be arriving on the island in the coming days to assist with the other pavilions. The other pavilions will be placed in Ebenezer near the Mac High Campus and partially on the land of the previous Prins Willem Alexander School for the St. Maarten Academy. All pavilions were strategically placed nearby the main campus to cater to students and facilitate the rotation of classes. The fourth pavilion was sent through the United States, and will be utilized by the Sister Marie Laurence School. The details on the placement of the fourth pavilion are yet to be determined.
The representatives of the Charlotte Brookson Academy were at the Ring Road to witness the construction of the pavilions. The representatives of the CBA were very thankful to the Minister and the Ministry for the usage of the pavilions. The CBA was housed at the old Government Administration Building, however, due to the passing of Hurricane Irma, the building was severely damaged, rendering it unusable for the students, teachers and staff of the CBA. The exam and pre-exam classes are now being housed at the University of St. Martin and the Philipsburg Cultural and Community Center. The pavilions will be housing the schools until the major repairs and rebuilding is completed.
The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, the honorable Silveria Jacobs, has been working closely with all the school boards ensure the schools have all necessities to assist in the smooth transition back to school.
Press Release from Ministry of ECYS
