The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) and the University of St. Martin (USM), signaling the joint commitment and cooperation to offer the Bachelor of Education on Saba and Sint Eustatius.
The new program, which is fully accredited, is designed to prepare teaching assistants to teach at the primary education level on Saba and St. Eustatius where there is a need for locally trained teachers and comes out of the “Cooperation Protocol to promote teacher training in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 2019-2025.”
“This MOU between two of our esteemed institutions of higher education in the Caribbean is another example of UVI’s commitment to serve the people of our region with dynamic, exciting opportunities for educational achievement, preparing them, in turn, to meet the needs of our communities. We are excited to embark on this partnership with the University of St. Martin, and look forward to many positive outcomes,” said UVI President David Hall.
“This MOU is an important step in the process to strengthen education in the Caribbean,” stated Nolly Oleana, former head of the department of OCW.
Instruction will be delivered in English and will include courses such as the History and Culture of Saint Martin. Fourteen teaching assistants are enrolled to start in the program in January 2023.
The signing of the MOU, which took place on November 2022, included representatives from the three organizations, and is another step towards strengthening bonds between educational institutions in the Caribbean and enhancing higher education in the region.
