SABA/ST. EUSTATIUS--Education Executive Agency (“Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs” (DUO)) organised an online public information campaign late last year for (former) students in the Caribbean Netherlands. The campaign was organised because personal visits to Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba were not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The online contact options have proven so successful that these will be continued in the next few months.
The public information campaign comprises a second webinar for prospective students and actions to prevent repayment difficulties among re-payers.
On April 15, DUO will organise a webinar about practical matters concerning applications for study financing for students in the Caribbean Netherlands. This is a follow-up to the webinar about how study financing works, which was held in November 2020.
This month’s webinar will provide prospective students insight into all practical matters they must arrange for their student financing in the Netherlands in the next few months. The webinar can be watched with subtitles in English and Papiamentu. One can register for the webinar via
duo.nl/webinar.
DUO will continue to actively contact former students with payment arrears. DUO will inform students who start repaying their debt how they can prevent further difficulties by requesting a financial-capacity analysis or the local repayment option.
Persons who have multiple debts or for whom these options are not a solution will be requested to contact DUO to search for a tailored solution together with a DUO officer.
DUO has expanded its services for the Caribbean Netherlands over the past few months with chat and video calls. These forms of personal contact with a DUO officer were very well received, which is why these will be continued. Students and former students can chat online at
duo.nl/antillen on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Video calls are possible by appointment on Wednesday and Friday.
