PHILIPSBURG – Over the years, many more of our students are choosing to continue their studies in the Netherlands. However, many do not know how to proceed in getting into a school or what the requirements are. This process can be daunting for students and parents, but Student Support Services Division (SSSD) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Affairs is here to assist.
SSSD will be holding the free workshop entitled “Applying to Schools in the Netherlands” on Thursday, August 24, 2023. This event will be held at the Government Administration Building from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. and is geared at students in their last two years of secondary school or recent graduates.
Applying to schools for some persons can be fairly easy while for others, it can be very challenging. Sometimes starting the process or even meeting the requirements can be a dilemma. SSSD officials noted that for example students applying to universities of applied sciences or HBO schools in the Netherlands tend to have less challenges than those applying to a middle vocational school (MBO). These differences as well as the Dutch educational system will also be highlighted during the workshop.
All students on the island can attend the “Applying to Schools in the Netherlands” workshop as the Netherlands has various vocational and academic schools that meet each student’s unique education background. Information concerning institutions that provide language of instruction in Dutch or English will be covered. Most importantly, educational changes occur frequently in the Netherlands and it is important for student to know of such, say SSSD officials.
“Many people contend that going to the Netherlands is cheaper overall or better than going to the United States to study but that may or may not the case. There are also many other factors that need considered in the decision process and for every person the situation may be different. Many of these factors will be highlighted during the workshop,” SSSD officials noted.
SSSD officials indicated that workshop participants are urged to register in advance so that space availability may not become an issue. Parents are urged to encourage their children to participate in this workshop. If parents or students have any questions on these workshops, they can contact the Student Support Services Division at telephone 543-1235 or studentsupportservices@sintmaartengov.org for more information.
The Student Support Services Division is located in the Gatspy’s Building, across from the Police Station and next to the Windward Island Bank (WIB) in Philipsburg. SSSD provides many services to students including psychological services, counseling services, speech language pathology services, social work services, educational diagnostic services, career services, and parental workshops.
