Leeflang: Build schools
and get teachers after
~ Pantophlet calls on govt to get moving ~
WILLEMSTAD--“Let’s build the schools, please. I beg you,” Education Minister Omayra Leeflang pleaded with St. Maarten in this week’s Parliamentary meetings on the 2009 Central Government Budget. “Use the money to build schools. Once they have been built, we will find the people to teach.”
Projects, totalling some NAf. 600,000, have already been submitted by government for St. Maarten. Based on these, the minister urged the island not to use the money available for education to pay consultants and psychologists, but to build much needed schools.
Research conducted by her ministry found that some 600 undocumented children, particularly of primary school age, are in need of proper schools.
This number of children can be catered to in 25 classrooms that cost about NAf. 5 million, Leeflang told parliamentarians.
Her plea was in response to National Alliance Parliamentarian William Marlin’s questions about monies available for education for the island, in particular St. Maarten which is combating a steady increase in undocumented children.
Funding for education was part of the January financing agreement signed between the islands and the Netherlands. The minister said that as the Netherlands Antilles is being dismantled, the money should go directly to the islands. “I don’t want a dime for my ministry.”
In response to another question from Marlin about the availability of teachers if schools are built and children placed, the minister proposed a special permit for people who are competent enough to teach, but don’t have the necessary diplomas. “I will work together with [education] commissioner to give them a special permit. We can work out things creatively. Let’s make this thing work.”
The minister added, “It doesn’t matter if the parents are legal or illegal, they [the children] should go to school. School is not an immigration office. School can’t turn away children. They are our children; they need to go to school; if they don’t go to school, one day you will meet them with a gun in their hand.”
Chiming in, National Alliance Councilman George Pantophlet said Marlin’s questions brought “a profound and moving response” from Leeflang. “It confirms time and time again that the Democratic Party government is dragging its feet on this matter or they don’t know what to do. To the Democratic Party, I say, ‘It is time to build schools’.”
