PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday, March 6th, 2020 the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport received the extremely sad news that one of our students passed away in the Netherlands as a result of an apparent suicide. We are all saddened by her death and wish to express our heartfelt condolences to her parents, family, and friends.
The ministry has been supporting the parent via our guidance coordinator in the Netherlands, Division Study Financing and Student Support Services Division. The head of the Student Support Services Division will take the lead with overseeing support, care and communication for our ministry.
Provisions are being made for grief and loss counseling for our students in the Netherlands, especially those directly affected by this loss. An emergency hotline number +17215273840 has been provided to students where they can reach us directly via WhatsApp. In the coming days in collaboration with the St. Maarten House, a counselor will be put in place to provide the necessary support. We know that many parents of students studying in the Netherlands may be concerned and as such, a briefing meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 9, 2020, at 7 pm at the Government Administration Building.
Working through grief is an extremely individual and unique process and as a Ministry, we are doing all that we can to provide the necessary support. Let us as a community continue to pray for our students and keep the family and friends of the deceased student in our thoughts and prayers.
