DELTA PLAN
For
a massive approach with the objective to create a wealth of chances and
opportunities for Antillean youngsters
An abstract of a paper,
serving as the
basis for talks by Minister
Omayra Leeflang to
facilitate the dialogue on
the DELTA plan.
Willemstad August 15, 2006
DELTAPLAN
·
It is not
so much a problem analysis but rather a realization of solutions
·
It is not
so much a plan but rather an operation of achievements
·
It is not
a band-aid but a lasting cure
·
Not only
the financial household should be in order, but particularly the educational
household
·
To invest
in the “New Kingdom ” is to invest in a concerted effort
·
A natural
link between the Antilles and the Netherlands in the approach of the “juvenile
problem”
CONTENTS
The
seven cooperation programmes of the Delta plan…………………… 4
1. Extension of the age
bracket for compulsory education
from 4 to18 years and the reinforcement
of its implementation ……. 5
2. Structural incorporation
and maximization of the range and effect
of Social Formation………………………………………………………
5
3. Durability and feasibility
of the innovations in education…………… 6
4. Support for stimulation of
parent participation in education………… 10
5. Multi-lingual skills as an
asset to development……………………….. 11
6. Creation of a platform in
order to maximize the opportunities of
Antillean youngsters on the job
market………………………………... 13
7. Creation of a climate of
cooperation and cooperative modalities….. 15
THE
SEVEN COOPERATION PROGRAMMES OF THE DELTA PLAN
- Extension of the age bracket for
compulsory education from 4 to 18
years and the reinforcement of its implementation
- Extension
of compulsory education and its synchronisation with obligatory Social
Formation
- Consolidation
of its enforcement
- Setting
up the chain of cooperative institutions for the support care
- Structural incorporation and
maximization of the range and effect of Social Formation
- Incorporation
of the age bracket from 15 to 8: “Close the faucet first”
- Raising the durability and
feasibility of the innovations in education
- Consolidation
of and a realistic approach towards Foundation Based Education
- Secondary
Basic Education as the determination programme for advanced secondary
education
- Completion
of the improvements of vocational
education (VSBO and SBO)
- A
widening of the entrance accessibility to HAVO/VWO
and consolidation of the connection for higher education in the
Netherlands
- Accreditation
of Higher Education, of Medical Schools and of Teachers’
Training Courses
- Support to stimulate parent
participation in
Education
at home
- Multi-lingual skills, an asset to
development
- Clarity
on the language of instruction issue
- Consolidation
of the status of Papiamentu
- Recognition
by Parliament of a Federal Ordinance on the Three Official languages:
Papiamentu, Dutch and English
- Dutch
as the primary target language
- Association
with the Nederlandse Taal Unie
- Language
labs as a necessary tool
- The creation of a platform in
order to maximize the opportunities for Antillean youngsters on the job
market
·
Sufficient courses of study that focus on the
needs of the local trade and industry (ROA)
·
Sufficient places for trainees where students
can gain practical
experience on the job (Ku Kara pa Laman, College
Hotel, etc.)
·
Sufficient job opportunities for the
deployment of qualified youngsters
(The Kingdom Platform as a think tank)
7. Creation of a climate of cooperation
and cooperative modalities
·
Information and communication of the above
mentioned issues
·
Managing, monitoring, evaluation and creating
financial modalities
·
Installation of an Administrative Committee
to this end
1.0. Extension
of the age bracket for compulsory Education from 4 to 18 years and the reinforcement
of its implementation
Taking
as its point of departure the obligation to care for all children until and
included the age of eighteen - which is the legal consequence of international
treaties - the DELTA plan assumes that the focus should be on all children in
the age bracket from 4 through 18 years in order to see how they can make use
of the educational and learning facilities. Not only should the focus be on the
kids themselves, but also the obstacles in their school career should be eliminated.
Any obstacle may – as will be clear - lead to absenteeism and to dropping out
from school. For that reason this sub-section of the DELTA plan will comprise
three spearheads:
1.1.
Extension of compulsory education from 4
through 18 years and synchronisation with the Obligatory Social Formation
programme. The Ordinance on Extension of Compulsory Education has already been
established by the Council of Ministers and has been presented to the Advisory
Council.
1.2.
Consolidation of the enforcement of
Compulsory Education. Although the supervision with regard to the observance of
Compulsory Education is a task which belongs to the competence of the island
territories, the Federal Government will temporarily - for a maximum period of
four years – provide support and will facilitate the island territories in the
execution of this supervision. In relation to this the registration system of
the participants in Obligatory Social Formation will be synchronized with the
registration system which is needed for Compulsory Education.
1.3.
Adjustment of the right to Child Welfare and
Protection to the right to Youth Care. A Federal Ordinance on Youth Care has
already been drafted. This Ordinance has as its objective to establish rules in
order to secure the rights to Youth Care for all juveniles and adolescents with
serious problems in their development and education in the Netherlands Antilles
until and including the age of 24. An important objective of this ordinance
will also be to facilitate a chainlike cooperation system of the various
institutes that offer the necessary support and care to children at risk in
order to prevent premature dropping out of school.
2.0. Structural incorporation and maximization of the range and effect
of Social Formation
The Federal Ordinance has as its objective to
offer youngsters at risk between the age 15 and 25 a new chance or a second
chance. It also should at the same time prevent growth of the group of
youngsters at risk. In order to expand the reach and effect of Obligatory
Social Formation and to make maximum use of the existing accommodating capacity
to this end, the DELTA plan has combined the developments with regard to
Obligatory Social Formation, the extension of Compulsory Education, the
upgrading of VSBO, the innovation of the SBO and regulation of the care
structure into a coherent system of various distinguishable sub routes. These
routes will – in their entirety - take care that the yearly growing number of
school drop-outs, who are subjected to Obligatory Social Formation will
drastically be diminished. The ultimate result will have to be that in the
course of three years the target group of Obligatory Social Formation will
almost be reduced to zero.
This
sub-section of the DELTA plan comprises two spearheads:
2.1. The route for the age bracket 15 through 18
years “First close the faucet! ’
The
route “First close the faucet! ’ is an
intervention that will be offered at schools for VSBO and SBO, and it takes
care of drop-out youngsters by means of a preparatory course which is aimed at
re-entry into regular education or to participation in second chance courses
offered at the school. This intervention serves to widen the range and effect
of the Obligatory Social Formation and it should maximize the existent
absorption capacity of (Vocational) Education. The rationale behind this
approach is that Obligatory Social Formation by itself cannot be the structural
solution for untimely dropping-out of education by so many youngsters.
By
creating extra facilities and provisions within the school, secondary schools
will be enabled to take responsibility for those youngsters who threaten to
drop-out.
By
accommodating first the group in the age bracket 16 through 18, who are obliged
to do Social Formation, the school can prepare itself for structural
accommodation of the group that has to follow Compulsory Education. The extra
facilities and provisions that have been created may then be used for both
groups. As a result of this route permanent facilities for the accommodation of
youngsters will be created within the schools, which will reduce the number op
drop-outs in education.
2.2. Routes to opportunities for 18 year
through 24 year olds
Routes
to opportunities must succeed in (re-)activating deprived youngsters and young
adolescents and coax them into education and work in order for our society to
be assured in the near future of its own potential for its development in a
durable way.
It
is of great importance that youngsters can actually be channelled into jobs and
for this the right attitude and the right mentality needs to be developed.
These routes to opportunity offer a connection to basic vocational training.
The youngsters must be enabled to move up to a higher level, whenever needed
for their development.
3.0.
Consolidating the durability and feasibility
of the
Innovations in education
The
obligation of the government to provide care in the sense of the Constitution
and International Treaties applies to all young people until the 18th
year (IVRK= UN Convention on the Rights of the Child). Education must be
considered a basic social right of every youngster. For that reason the core
objective of the DELTA plan is aimed at the continuous concern of the
government to organize education in such a way that both the students at risk
and those not so much at risk can develop their talents optimally. Education is
the instrument ‘par excellence’ for personal development and equipment of
youngsters. One may expect of education a substantial contribution in the
acquisition of the necessary human, cultural and spiritual values for an active
and valuable participation in the living together of any given society.
The
better the functioning of education, the less the need will be to push back
disadvantages in development afterwards.
Investing in education will then have across the board a positive impact
on the social- economic situation and contribute to drive back poverty and
crime. For this reason this sub-section comprises seven spearheads.
3.1. Consolidation
of and a realistic approach towards Foundation Based Education
The
cohort of students, having completed Cycle I of Foundation Based Education, was
to commence with Cycle II in August 2006 in absence of any clarity with regard
to the availability of means for the development, the implementation and
investment of Cycle II of Foundation Based Education. Given this precarious
situation the Minister had deemed it fit to intervene - in anticipation of the
discussions in Parliament of the Concept Ordinance on Foundation Based
Education - in order to clarify the organizational latitude of the competent
authorities (i.e. School Boards) in the implementation of Cycle II of
Foundation Based Education. In this policy framework sufficient room for action
was created to facilitate the start of Cycle II of Foundation Based Education -
with some degree of flexibility - in the best possible manner.
From
the experience gathered with the implementation of Cycle I of Foundation Based
Education the Minister has proposed adaptations on the basis of the outcomes of
various consultation sessions, evaluation workshops, inspection reports since
2002 and also the direct comments of parents, teachers, citizens and entities
in the society.
The
proposals for adaptation will have to lead to a sharpening up of Foundation
Based Education and also to making the implementation more feasible.
In
the sense of this DELTA plan consolidation should be understood as to bring in
focus those improvements that are important for the three basic paradigms of
primary process of education.
With
making this realistically possible is meant that the desired goals (what is
necessary) should be balanced with the feasible goals (what is possible).
In
the meantime the necessary policy decisions have been taken that have to consolidate
Foundation Based Education and make it feasible. This concerns all decisions
with regard to:
- the
discontinuation of Cycle III,
- the
establishment of the qualifications for FO teachers at Bachelor’s level,
- leaving
room for the application of group and other differentiation forms
- the
possibility of choice of the language of instruction
- the
obligation for teachers to upgrade themselves
- the
obligation to offer student care
A
clear horizon has also been established for the implementation. The work on the
legal formalisation has now been given the highest priority. This is even
expected to be achieved in 2006.
3.2. Basic
Secondary Education
as the transitional stage between Foundation Based Education and secondary
education
In
the school year 1998 Basic Education (Basis Vorming) was implemented in all
schools that offer some type of Secondary Education. Basic Education is not a
course by itself, but it had best be considered as an educational programme for
the first two years of Secondary Education.
Basic Secondary Education is meant to prepare students in a better way for
further secondary education, for their future work and for their role in the
society. Even more important is the fact that because of Basic Secondary
Education the final choice for study and profession does not have to be made at
the end of Cycle II of Foundation Based Education.
In
the meantime many school related developments have been realised. As a result
of the various development routes different kinds of Basic Secondary Education
came into existence in which a number of schools have been able to give shape
to the flow through to the period after Basic Secondary Education with good
results. There are however also a number of schools that still struggle heavily
with the broad education concept and that have not yet been able to deal
properly with the differences in students that they encounter. Also the flow
through from Basic Education to HAVO/VWO
has not reached the expected level and this gives rise to serious connection
problems when students want to stream from VSBO into HAVO at a later age.
In
the frame work of the DELTA plan the optimization of Basic Secondary Education
is considered to be of crucial importance as it should set in motion a student
specific determination process in which every student is put on the right track
to optimal development of his/her talents. At the same time the possibility is
worked on to extend Basic Secondary Education to three years
in order to consolidate the general preparation for HAVO/VWO.
The
optimisation strategy is aimed at individual support of the schools in the
development of a better flow through to secondary education, to both HAVO/VWO
and the various learning routes of VSBO. A number of schools have chosen in the
Basic Secondary Education period for a far reaching system of overlapping
‘’roof tile’’ construction, where other schools follow a broader general
approach. Based on the choices of the schools, support will be given and
facilitation will be offered in order to carry out these solutions. The schools
will be able – among other things- to make use of development budget.
3.3. The completion of the innovations of
Vocational
Education
(VSBO and SBO)
The implementation of the innovations in
vocational education - as far as the educational model is concerned – is going
off well.
This means that:
·
The structure of VSBO,
consisting of 3 learning routes, 3 sectors and 9 sector
programmes, has been implemented in all
schools.
·
The structure of SBO,
consisting of a qualification structure on 4 levels and a certification system
based on sub qualifications (credits) per profession qualification is in use at
all institutes for SBO.
In the coming years the programme will
have to be concluded by completing the ongoing processes such as the
realisation of the infrastructural planning, the purchase of inventory, the
introduction of workstations and business simulations, the implementation of
structure for student care and the process of competence upgrading for teachers
and management. In addition to that investments will have to be made
with regard to the identified specific
needs at island level that relate directly to offering opportunities and better
conditions for youngsters in order for them to qualify for the job market and
for participation in the society.
The completion strategy in the frame work
of this DELTA plan is aimed at developing a system in which all projects and
activities with regard to the ongoing development of vocational education in
the Netherlands Antilles (VSBO, SBO) are combined into a cooperative structure.
Thus, the Social Formation project and the sub programme Vocational Education
will work together very closely in order to achieve the objectives.
Also the cooperation of the business sector and the
involvement of parents/caretakers will be part of the strategy of reaching the
objective of the development and programme objective of Vocational Education
within 4 years at the most.
3.4. Consolidation of the connection of the
Netherlands Antillean HAVO/VWO system with its Dutch counterpart
In
2007 some rather fundamental innovations have been planned in the examination
programme of HAVO/VWO in the Netherlands. The connection of secondary education
in the Netherlands Antilles with the Dutch system is an important point of
departure. In the past years this principle has been applied proportionally. In
the most important issues the Dutch example was followed, be it that there were
additions of Antillean elements. Up till now the implementation of the
innovations was done to a rather limited extent, and as a result a number of
adaptations could hardly be developed. In particular the facilities for
development the desired more independent way of working could hardly be
achieved, but also the necessary growth of the influx did not keep pace with
the expectations. The latter issue has to do with the limited number of
entrants at an early age in HAVO/VWO. It still is the practice that a large
segment of students first goes to VSBO and then tries at a later age to get access
to HAVO/VWO. These issues require speedy answers.
If
we wish to safeguard the “entry” of our HAVO/VWO and CXC
students into (Dutch) Universities and HBO schools (Higher Vocational
Education), we will have to invest adequately in our physical and didactical
infrastructure.
Failing
to make these investments will seriously endanger the realisation of the
following objectives:
- increasing
he outflow of students at HAVO/WVO level by developing the school into a
learning centre;
- flexibilization
of he educational programmes (curricula) which will do more justice to the
differences between individual students.
The DELTA plan - it
is true - takes as its point of departure that in this modern “globalizing”
world all efforts should be directed to participation of a much higher
percentage of the population in courses on secondary and higher level.
The
improvement strategy is based on support of the school on the basis of their
choices to realize a solution on school level. To this end the schools will be
able – among other things- to make use of development budget.
3.5. International accreditation of Antillean
Higher Education
Within
the new context of the knowledge economy, Antillean Higher Education will have
to internationalize and globalize; the emphasis will then have to rest on
quality guarantee and accreditation. The process of accreditation of the UNA
has been initialized together with the NVAO.
In this framework the Minister of Education has stipulated that the teachers’
training for Foundation Based Education should be on bachelor level. There are
also ongoing negotiations with the offshore
medical schools on the various islands with regard to accreditation through
an accreditation agency commissioned by the NVAO.
In
this way these schools may qualify for an Antillean proof of recognition. This
recognition is important for nomination of these schools on the list of WHO.
Nomination on the WHO list in its turn is important to attract students from
the US.
5.1.
Clarity in the language of instruction
issue
5.2.
Consolidation
of the status of Papiamentu
In the frame work of the multi-lingual policy Papiamentu, as well as
Dutch or English and even a combination of two languages, may be the
language(s) of instruction in education. Although students will have to master
four languages - namely Papiamentu, Dutch, English and Spanish - when they have
reached the end of the age bracket of compulsory education, special attention
will have to be paid to the status of Papiamentu. To this end three policy
proposals will be legally formalized.
6.0. The
creation of a platform in order to maximize the opportunities for
Antillean youngsters on the job
market
The
DELTA plan is formation offensive. A formation offensive without a scope for
jobs will be counter-productive. A
crucial element of the DELTA-plan is to take care that the youngsters are
equipped in such a way that they are optimally employable in the job market and
thus may get a job and generate an income.
The
bridge between learning and working is instrumental for the success of the
DELTA plan. In order to make this happen this sub programme of the DELTA plan
comprises three spearheads:
- To provide sufficient
study routes that train for professions and functions such as needed in
the business sector.
- To provide sufficient
opportunities for on the job training in order for the students to gain
practical experience.
- To provide sufficient
job opportunities in which the youngsters may start to work after their
training.
As
far as the creation of job opportunities is concerned, it should be noted that
the role of the Government in this area will be a facilitating one; it is the
economy that generates jobs.
- Another alternative is to link a project to a
certain commercial sector. An
example of this is the project Ku Kara pa
Laman (= with the face to the sea;
with the eye on the sea.) A sea-going
vessel, sponsored by the Netherlands
Government, is deployed commercially in
international waters, but with the
objective to have on–the-job training
positions available for aspiring Antillean
seamen.
- A similar project is being
initiated for the hotel sector. It is expected that within
the next few years thousands of job
opportunities will become available. In
collaboration with CHATA (Curacao Hotel and
Tourist Association) work has
started on the “Curacao College Hotel and
Training Center’ which will answer
the demand for necessary trainee positions on
all levels.
- Furthermore one could think of certain
projects such as working out a
commercial idea into a business plan, or the
promotion of entrepreneurship,
projects that could replace on the job
training.
6.3.
Sufficient job
opportunities for employment of youngsters
As
long as the economy will not grow to the extent that it can yearly accommodate
a few hundred youngsters (- after having followed training -) on the local job
market, youth unemployment will remain high. When the prospective job market is
considered in a wider perspective than solely with an “insular’ view, one could
imagine that youngsters will be encouraged to choose for a training or education
that would enable them to accept work in all countries of the “New Kingdom”.
Although
it was estimated that the economy of the Netherlands Antilles in 2005 has grown
with 1.5 %, this growth was not yet sufficient to reduce unemployment. Youth
unemployment on Curacao in 2005 increased from 25% to 44%, whereas on Sint
Maarten it happened to decrease!
In
the Netherlands it also decreased. At this moment it has already become obvious
that in the Netherlands an increasing shortage of nurses and hospital attendants
is expected, whereas Antillean youngsters trained in the care sector might be
able to fulfil this need. The same goes for other sectors such as the metal
sector and the military.
As
a substantial break-through in order to find a lasting way out from this
problematic situation, the DELTA plan propagates a mind shift in our basic
attitude with respect to making use of the opportunities within the Kingdom of
the Netherlands. Work has started already on the installation of a Kingdom
platform for job opportunities for our youths, which platform will have to
function as a think tank in order to make this problem a “common concern”. From that situation creative modalities should be
arrived at which will have to lead to utilization of our access to European
knowledge, experience, capital and job market.
7.0.
The creation of a cooperative climate and cooperation modalities
One
of the points of departure to effectuate the DELTA plan, is to invest in joint
efforts - on the one hand to deal with the consequences of our limited capacity
of accommodation - and on the other hand to control the implications of the
natural sequence in the approach of the Antillean Youth problem. The Delta plan
aims at collaboration in a joint effort with regard to the supervision, the
monitoring, the development, the execution, and the financing of the respective
programmes and spearheads of the DELTA plan - and from the point of view of
Quality Control in particular - it aims at communication about mutual
experiences and results between the kingdom partners.
The
Transition Agreement of the De Jongh-Elhage Cabinet states that a thorough
evaluation of the innovations in education will have to take place and -where
necessary - adaptations will have to be made.
“Foundation Based Education
(Funderend Onderwijs) propagates the universal development of the child: in a
social, intellectual, emotional, motoric, artistic and in a moral sense.
The important aspects that need
attention are identified as follows:
- Thorough evaluation and monitoring
- Language policy focused on multi-lingualism
- Completion of the legal process.
Also with regard to secondary
education the innovation process will be subjected to the necessary
adjustments. This type of education has as its objective to offer a broad
education and a large degree of independence.”
In
the period from February 2006 through May 2006 the Midterm evaluation took
place of the programme segments Foundation Based Education and Vocational
Education in the Netherlands Antilles.
Edburgh
Consultants’ Bureau was commissioned through the Representation of the
Netherlands in the Netherlands Antilles by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and
Kingdom Relations to carry out this evaluation.
At
quit an early stage the evaluators came to the conclusion that all parties were
in agreement on the necessity of the educational innovation process.
They
did however also identify the shortcomings that impede the actual
implementation. This very fact – in the opinion of the evaluators- jeopardizes
the projected objectives. These serious shortcomings refer in the first place
to the absence of an adequate monitoring structure on programme level, which
results for the greater part in decision making at all lower levels on an
ad-hoc basis.
The
report makes a twenty-some recommendations in order not only to safeguard a
responsible progress of the innovations, but also to guarantee its funding.
The
most important recommendation in the area of monitoring is the establishment of
an Administrative Committee.
The Council of Ministers has agreed on the foundation of an Administrative
Committee. The Administrative Committee will consist of members of all Island
Territories, of the Federal Government and of The Netherlands.
Translation and footnotes :
TranstextConsult
February 23, 2007.
Basic
Education (basisvorming) should not be confused with Foundation Based Education (FBE=Funderend Onderwijs).
FBE is primary education in two cycles with Kindergarten incorporated,
whereas Basic Education refers to the initial two years of secondary education. In this DELTA plan Basisvorming will replace
Cycle III of FBE.
The translator has provided
explanatory footnotes relating to the used abbreviations in education. The
original Dutch text did not offer any explanation. These footnotes will make
the information understandable for those international readers who are not
familiar with the education system in the Netherlands Antilles.
