Dear Editor,
With great concern we took notice of the exam results from the PKL/PBL students of the Sundial School and the PBL/PKL/TKL students of Milton Peters College. Less than 50% of the students from Sundial School passed their exams and less than 50% of the students who sat their exams in Milton Peters College's PBL department passed. This is more than worrisome!
We need to take a look at the reasons why these results are so poor. Is it our educational system? Is it a mentality issue that our children have? Is it the poor social structure in which our children are growing up? We need to ask ourselves what we can expect from the teachers at these schools and what we can expect from our government, but not less important: we need to ask ourselves what can we expect from us as a community raising these children?
It is of the utmost importance that we recognize our role as individuals in our community. We cannot let it up to the schools, teachers and government to raise our children. We all have a role to play. The children who are failing in school today are the laborers and professionals of tomorrow. We can talk about nation building and making plans for the future of Sint Maarten, but there is no future without our children of today.
Soualiga Social Movement is not claiming to know the answers to this tremendous problem, but we are sure recognizing the many problems and social ills surrounding our children. All the alarm bells are ringing. All hands on deck are needed: private sector, public sector, civil sector and each and every individual. The UNICEF report that pictures a grim situation in certain area's pertaining our children needs to be discussed in every level of our society, starting in parliament. Private sector and civil sector need to join hands and come up with programs that are of a nature that lead to structural improvement. As individuals we need to make time for our children again and guide them from the cradle to their adulthood. Our children are the future. #sxmmovement.
Soualiga Social Movement
