PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Honorable Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Lyndon Lewis announced on Thursday that students of the Prince Willem Alexander School (PWAS) and Martin Luther King School (MLK) will attend school at the Alma Fleming Care Center in Belvedere as of Tuesday, August 20. And, hopefully if all goes as planned, the MLK students (three classes) could even probably could at MLK campus.
The delay allows relevant authorities, school management and security providers to develop enhanced security arrangements following the recent break-ins at the schools. School operations for Thursday, August 15th were suspended, and the school will remain closed on August 16th, to allow for new security measures and emergency upgrades to be implemented.
The Minister also announced that a motivation session for the staff will be held on Friday, August 16th from 8:30am to 10:00am at the Belvedere Community Center. “While we are tackling an unfortunate situation which is causing a delay in the start of the academic year, it is also important that we lift each other up and stand together as we prepare to enrich young minds. Our teachers and other staff are human beings. Sometimes we all need a little re-assurance that we will overcome. I assure you, that I am working diligently to address all of these issues to restore normalcy,” Lewis said.
Additionally, the Minister said preparations for the classrooms at Dr. MLK Jr. School are progressing well. The Division of Education Inspection will visit the campus on Friday to assess its readiness. “If all goes as planned, the classrooms could be ready by Monday, August 19, 2024, to welcome the three classes on Tuesday, August 20, 2024,” he concluded.
