~ Previous recipients invited to focus group ~
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Rodolphe Samuel said during Wednesday’s live Council of Ministers press briefing that the ministry has begun the required steps to establish the Study Financing Priority List for 2023-2026.
Every year, the government of St. Maarten provides financial support for a number of its students to obtain tertiary education. The granting of study financing takes into account current and future labour needs in St. Maarten. As such, research into the labour market demand is an important part of the development of the Study Financing Priority List, said Samuel.
He said the list should provide a true reflection of St. Maarten’s occupational and educational needs so that study financing recipients have an increased chance of being hired for a job in their specific area of study when they have completed their studies.
According to Samuel, the previous study financing list will expire in 2022 and the Department of Education has begun the necessary steps for establishing the Study Financing Priority List 2023-2026.
JS Consulting Service, represented by its Research Coordinator Julio R. Romney, has been assigned to conduct research into the short- to medium-term labour demand or workforce needs in St. Maarten, to facilitate the establishment of the Study Financing Priority List 2023-2026.
The research team began conducting interviews and focus group sessions with stakeholders as well as carrying out survey questionnaires during December 2021 and will continue to do so in January 2022.
A focus group session with former recipients of study financing will be held at the Government Building in rooms one and two at 7:00pm January 5, 2022. Through this medium, Samuel is inviting persons who received study financing between 2011 and 2020 and have returned to St. Maarten to be a part of the focus group session.
The objective of the focus group is to learn about students’ experience as it relates to their obtaining study financing based on the Study Financing Priority List and their experiences in gaining employment after completing their studies.
To register for participation, persons who received study financing between 2011 and 2020 who have returned to St. Maarten are asked to send a brief notification including their name and contact information to the e-mail address
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Refreshment will be served to all focus group participants.
“I encourage the community of St. Maarten, former study finance recipients and the business community to provide the necessary support for this research, whether it is to fill out the survey or to take part in interviews, as this information is extremely beneficial in determining St. Maarten’s labour market needs to adequately prepare our students, who are the future of St. Maarten,” Samuel concluded.
