Executive Council seeking
answers on study financing
~ 9.4 million guilders spent annually ~
PHILIPSBURG--The Executive Council will commission a study to get answers on the returns for the island from the millions ploughed into the tertiary education of students through study financing annually.
Education Commissioner Sarah Wescot-Williams told reporters during Wednesday’s Executive Council press briefing that government decided to do the study to get answers to a number of questions.
At the moment, government spends 9.4 million guilders annually for study financing, which is part grant, part loan. Some 5.2 million guilders of the amount spent annually is grant portion while 4.2 million is the loan which has to be repaid.
Through the study, government wants to know how many of study financing recipients complete their studies; what support they are given abroad; what their experience abroad is like; and how many are returning to St. Maarten after completing their studies.
Government also wants to get more details about the repayment of the study financing loan and about the changes students make to their area of study.
In 2004, government granted study financing to 138 students, 62 of which were to pursue studies in the Netherlands. A total of 100 students received study financing in 2005, 34 of which were for the Netherlands and 155 in 2006, 64 of which were for the Netherlands.
A “terms of reference” has been developed and interested bidders will be given an opportunity to bid for the project and once granted, the study is expected to be conducted in about three months.
A second study will also be conducted on the Study Financing Committee, which at the moment falls under the Education Department. The study is geared toward finding out whether this is the best way for the committee to function.
Some 300 students are currently pursuing studies in the Netherlands and this committee manages their affairs.
