Philipsburg:--- Former Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture Dr. Rhoda Arrindell approved scholarships for some 49 students that have not met the criteria announced Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture Silveria Jacobs.Minister Jacobs told reporters on Wednesday during the Council of Ministers press briefing that she is not a sheriff but an educator, one of the things she will do as the Minister of Education is apply the letter of the law when it comes to handling the people's business. Minister Jacob said that 237 students applied for study financing, of that amount 134 (56.5%) of those students received a positive response based on the advice issued by the study financing committee. 82 (34.6%) received a negative advice while there are 21 (8.9%) applications that are pending. The committee she said granted 60 students financing to go to the Netherlands and another 30 to the USA and other Caribbean Islands.
Minister Jacobs said the Minister of Education may deviate from the committee's advice since it is her prerogative to do so. Minister Jacobs further explained that the former Minister Rhoda Arrindell granted 208 a whopping 87.8% persons study financing which is against the advice of the committee. 22 persons were denied (9.3%) while 7 (3%) are pending.
Minister Jacobs said when she took office on Monday she met with the head of the study financing department and requested more data, including data from some years ago. She said this year the deviation was vast and dramatic compared to the other years, namely 2010 and 2011. There is a difference this year where 20.9% were granted compared to 2010. She said some 74 students were granted study financing this year despite a negative advice from the committee. Of that amount, 41 of the students who were granted study financing did not meet the basic criteria for study financing therefore their applications were placed under review by the study financing committee. Minister Jacobs said the amount that was sent to the former Minister was within the study financing budget which amounted to 2.1 million guilders. However, the granted amount is projected to cost 3.5 million guilders which is 1.1 million guilders over the budget. Minister Jacob said that based on Article 3 of the study financing ordinance, the Minister could only grant study financing for the available budget and she was aware of this ordinance when she granted the extra persons study financing.
Minister Jacob said she will not burden government by allowing students that are not likely to succeed overseas therefore her Ministry are studying the 41 cases extensively and as soon as she has more information she will make it available to the public of St. Maarten.
Minister Jacob said based on the results they have, there has been a very low success rate from students who choose to study in the Netherlands. She said it is cheaper for the government of St. Maarten to send the students to the Netherlands because the government of St. Maarten only incurs the start up cost. However, in the end students studying in the Netherlands cost government more monies since there is a mere 10% success rate. Study Financing is not a right, it is something students have to earn while parents have to be part of the process by taking responsibility and make provisions for their children from early.
On the teacher absenteeism, the Minister said that teacher absenteeism is in fact a problem for government, however, she intends to look at the sources of the problem prior to attacking. She said that her intention is to model and expect prior to trickling down to the teachers. Minister Jacob also announced that she intends to hold a summit and the end of the school year where the teachers would be given an opportunity to vent their frustrations as well as come up with solutions to the problems plaguing them. "I don't expect teachers to function optimally in an unsanitary environment. We have to analyze the sources that are leading to the high absenteeism. Some of it comes from illness but then I would have to deal with the sick leave policy, because if someone is sick they are sick. However, we do have to deal with the issues of the unmanned classrooms and I do have some plans in place for teacher's assistance. Teachers today are burdened with the new school system and many of them are not able to cope," the Minister said.
