The latest study financing figures tell a bigger story than just numbers. Over the last five years, more St. Maarten students have pursued higher education in the United States than in the Netherlands, choosing English over Dutch as their language of learning. It is worth noting that even in the Netherlands, some of our students opt for English-taught programmes instead of Dutch. This year, 50 approvals went to US schools, compared to 32 for the Netherlands. Canada and other destinations trail far behind.
On paper, this might seem like a simple shift in preference. In reality, it reflects a deeper struggle: language and belonging.
This raises a pressing question for our island: If our students overwhelmingly embrace English as their language of higher learning, should we continue to uphold Dutch as a gatekeeper in our civil service? Government vacancy ads frequently demand Dutch proficiency. The mismatch is stark. Instead of opening doors for returning St. Maarteners, this policy too often sidelines them in favour of Dutch-speaking applicants from the Netherlands or Suriname.
But this goes beyond language. Maybe our students feel the Netherlands itself is alien and unwelcoming, where being Caribbean sets them apart and leaves them at a disadvantage. They are not just wrestling with Dutch grammar; they are trying to fit into a society that too often reminds them they don’t quite belong. By contrast, the US, despite all its own flaws, offers something familiar: English, bigger Caribbean communities, and a cultural landscape that feels closer to home.
What the numbers show is not just a trend in education but a warning about our future workforce. If the system is stacked against our own, we risk losing both talent and identity.
Perhaps the time has come for St. Maarten to invest seriously in languages, not only Dutch, but also English, Spanish, French and Papiamento/Papiamentu. A well-taught multilingual society should not be shackled to one imposed hierarchy of language.
But the question also extends to the Kingdom itself: is either side doing enough to connect us? Where are the meaningful exchanges that expose our youth to Dutch culture in ways that foster belonging, and where is the exposure for people in the Netherlands to reflect on the reality that their Kingdom is diverse? Our young people are showing us the path they feel most comfortable walking. The question is whether we, as a country, will listen.
The surge in US study financing is not about convenience. It is about necessity. It is about students finding spaces where their potential is measured by ability, not by their accent in Dutch, nor by the alienation too often felt in Dutch society. Until we recognise that truth, the numbers will keep telling the same story, one we cannot afford to ignore.
