SBO Service Center at DERPI (Department for Educational Research, Policy and Innovation), has organized an information session for students who are currently in the exam classes of the VSBO/PSVE. Besides the students, parents are also invited to attend.
The information session is being held at the Sundial School on Wednesday, February 4 from 7.00pm to 8.00pm and it will be about student’s opportunities and possibilities to further their education vocationally on St. Maarten.
The PSVE students in the past were told that SBO will provide them with a diploma recognized by the Minister of Education of the Netherlands Antilles, which means that their diploma can be revalidated by any other country or island.
At the moment approximately 82 SBO students are following courses in a number of areas namely, Maritime Assistant 1 and Electro 2 provided by Milton Peters College, Secretarial and Business Administration level 2, ICT Service level 2 provided by SMITH and SPW level 1 and 2 for Caregivers organized by SIFMA.
Currently most of those taking SBO courses make use of the Working-Learning track which implies that there is hands-on training, with a large part of the learning taking place on the jobsite. The students of the Maritime Assistant Course for instance, have been engaged in several trainee-ships, varying from working with the mega yachts to tender servicing the cruise ships and carrying out maintenance jobs on boats. The students of Electro will shortly do the same. Until now, the SBO Service Center is very satisfied with the cooperation that has been received from the businesses in the Maritime and Day Care sectors and is looking forward to a productive relationship for 2009.
Together with various providers the Service Center is currently working on defining which courses will be starting in school year 2009-2010. In April the graduating students can get a clearer picture if these new courses are suitable to their needs by participating in mini lessons, organized by the providers and SBO Service Center. All activities are part of a comprehensive information plan on SBO, including sessions for 2nd formers and parents of PSVE students, an information film, radio advertisements and the distribution of brochures and posters.
SBO Service Center at DERPI (Department for Educational Research, Policy and Innovation), has been established by the Island Government in March 2008 to coordinate and assist the start up of Secondary Vocational Courses.