PHILIPSBURG--A draft National Decree for the establishment of a Council for Education and Labour was approved by the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, September 2.
The draft will be forwarded to the Council of Advice for vetting. Legislation, governing secondary education stipulates that a Council for Education and Labour is a requirement as an advisory body to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports and where necessary also to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs as well as the Ministry of General Affairs.
The task of the Council for Education and Labour is to provide advice related to all important aspects regarding education and the labour market, among which the connection between education and the labour market and the recognition of vocational and professional courses.
The Council is also tasked with advising the pertinent Ministries on the manner in which labour organisations can be stimulated and encouraged to contribute to job training opportunities for students and any future policies regarding education that are linked to the labour market.
The Council will have a tripartite structure and its membership will be comprised of: three members representing business organizations, three members representing employee organizations and three policy advisors from the Ministry of Labour, Education and Economic Affairs respectively.
Education Minister Patricia Lourens-Philip, who presented the draft to the Council of Ministers, said on Sunday that the approval of the draft was an important step towards connecting vocational and professional education to the labour market.
"In establishing the Council the Ministry is ensuring that students graduating from [Preparatory Secondary Vocational Education – Ed.] PSVE (VSBO) and [Advanced Vocational Education – Ed.] AVE (SBO) who are desirous of entering the labour market will possess the skills, knowledge and competencies to find gainful employment, the minister said.
Lourens-Philip said the issue of youth unemployment is of grave concern to her and the establishment of the Council is one of the tools available to government to combat this phenomenon in St. Maarten.
