PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten students will be able to study at Lively Technical Center in Tallahassee, Florida, on in-state tuition.

Education Commissioner William Marlin, currently in Tallahassee, Florida, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to this effect with Lively Technical Center Principal of Administration Woody Hildebrandt on Thursday.

Marlin told The Daily Herald from Tallahassee late last evening that the agreement would be for a period of five years.

Marlin will also continue to pursue economic development opportunities, and meet with local officials to discuss collaborative efforts regarding education, tourism, sports and healthcare, while in Tallahassee. He will also officially open the Tallahassee-St. Maarten Foundation office today, Friday.

The City of Tallahassee will host a reception for the St. Maarten delegation in the Tallahassee Room on the second floor of City Hall today at 4:00pm, prior to the formal dedication of the Tallahassee-St. Maarten Sister City Programme office.

St. Maarten has developed a decade-long agreement with the City of Tallahassee through a Sister City Agreement. In addition to St. Maarten, the City of Tallahassee maintains formal Sister City relationships with Ramat-Hasharon, Israel; Sligo, Ireland; Krasnodar, Russia; and Konongo-Odumasi, Ghana.