“Educating today’s youth will ensure that we have a strong St. Maarten tomorrow”
Allow me as Prime Minister to firstly extend my best wishes to all students, teachers and parents for a very successful school year 2014- 2015. This year, it is again my deepest wish that we all contribute to making this school year one that will produce good results all around. I hope that students, teachers and parents will have an excellent and fruitful year and that for all these stakeholders stress will be at a minimum.
As I mentioned last year in my joint address with Minister Lourens, this is again an exciting time for the nation’s youth as another school year begins. A time, many look forward to, but let us be honest, a time which some unfortunately do not or cannot look forward to with excitement. I hope that the reasons this is the case can be mitigated as much as possible for these individuals.
As a new school year begins, I again want to reaffirm the commitment of Government to ensure that all students can succeed and develop their full potential. Education is the most important issue for the nation and our greatest national responsibility. For educating today’s youth will ensure that we have a strong St. Maarten tomorrow.
As I have done since I served as Commissioner for Education, I would like to underline how proud we are of our teachers’ commitment and resolve in their daily mission to build the future of this country by educating the young people of our nation. Young people who will be future doctors, lawyers, politicians, architects, nurses, police officers, EMTs, firemen, business leaders, hotel and restaurant managers, carpenters, plumbers, mechanics, or whatever other profession that will contribute to this country.
For many students this will be a year of a new school or new classroom, new teachers and some new acquaintances. In the case of the latter, you have the choice as students to choose who will be your friends. Like every year we urge all students to do so carefully, for there are always lurking negative influences which could affect your performance and development as a student. Be aware of these!
Some students unfortunately are returning to repeat last year’s program. To these students I would like to offer extra words of encouragement; do not place your energy in being disappointed, instead focus on graduating or completing this year at the top of your class. We believe that you indeed can and all students are encouraged to do their best, notwithstanding last year’s results. If you closed off last year successfully, stay focused and strive to do even better. If your results were discouraging, start the school year with a firm resolve to do better this year.
I would also like to appeal to and encourage all parents to renew their commitment to their child’s learning and to encourage their children to communicate daily regarding what is happening with them or around them in school. We remind parents to encourage their children to do their homework every day; to check their children’s books and contact their teachers regularly to find out how they are doing and to offer our children the support and dedication they need as they shape their young minds into becoming citizens that this country needs.
I would also like to express a special thank you to the school boards, teachers and support staff who have worked diligently in preparing their classes and schools for this new school year. Your work is undeniably crucial in ensuring a smooth opening of the new school year.
And finally, on this first school day, I would like to encourage all of those rushing to get their children to school and getting to work, all of the bus drivers and those car-pooling to their appointments, all of those walking to school or to their places of employment, to do so mindfully and with respect for all others who use the roads. Let us help make the opening of this academic year effortless and incident-free.
May God guide and bless our nation’s children and those in whose care they are placed.
The Prime Minister of St. Maarten, the Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams