The Law on primary education BES - Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on
primary education BES
In the <strong>Law</strong> on Primary Education BES (Wet Primair Onderwijs BES - WPO BES) the
regulations which are applicable for schools in primary education in the Dutch
Caribbean are stipulated.
Schools have to indicate in the guidelines of the school in which manner the
obligated education time is being used. This obligation the school has is expected
to become effective as per the 1st of August 2012. In the guidelines of the school
it can also be indicated which the weeks are that only have four schooldays, so
parents know from the start of the school year what to expect. <strong>The</strong> guidelines of
the school and the school times can be discussed with the participation board.
03.1
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on primary
education BES
ENG
Education time
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on primary education BES (Article 10, part 6) prescribes that all pupils receive
a minimum of 7.520 hours of education over eight consecutive years. Pupils should
receive a minimum of 3.520 hours in the first four years and at a minimum of 3.760
in the last four years.
For pupils in the 3rd to 8th grade a five day school week is applicable. For a
maximum of seven weeks per year a four day school week may be scheduled for these
groups instead of a five day school week. Weeks which already have four days per
school week because of a general holiday, that takes place during schooldays, do not
count. <strong>The</strong> educating activities have to be divided proportionately over the day.
How does this work in practice?
Schools may choose to give pupils in all grades the same number of education hours.
If schools choose to do this, all pupils will receive a minimum of 940 hours on
education each year. A school can also chose to give pupils in the first few school years
(onderbouw) less hours of education than pupils in the upper school (bovenbouw). In
that case a child goes to school lesser in the first four year than in the last four years. If
a school chooses to do so, the pupils will receive an average of 880 hours of education
in the first four years. For the last four years this will be an average of 940 hours. <strong>The</strong>
school may spread the remaining hours over the different school years.
Schools may determine themselves at what time schools starts and finishes. This
way they can for example take into account the opening time of daycare centers and
centers for after school activities.
N.B.: According to the <strong>Law</strong>
on Foundation Schools
(Landsverordening Funderend
Onderwijs) schools had to give
a minimum of 4.000 hours of
education in the 1st cycle and a
minimum of 4.400 hours in the
2nd cycle. Over eight consecutive
years a minimum of 8.400 hours of
education should have been provided.
(Instruction) language
<strong>The</strong> point of departure in the
primary education is two instruction
languages per public entity, both
with equal status. For Bonaire these
are Dutch and Papiamentu. For St.
Eustatius and Saba these are Dutch
and English. <strong>The</strong> objectives for
Dutch, Papiamentu and English are
established in the regulation about
the main objectives.
To guarantee the educational opportunities of pupils to the maximum, pupils
should dominate Dutch at the end of primary education as much as to allow
them to successfully follow the secondary education in Dutch (Bonaire and St.
Eustatius). On Saba the pupils should dominate Dutch enough to be able to
successfully make the final exam for the Dutch course.

Group division
<strong>The</strong> law does not prescribe how schools should give classes. <strong>The</strong> schools may
determine this themselves. An example of this is the division of groups. Most of the
schools have age groups: children of the same age belong to the same group. <strong>The</strong>re
are also groups which put children of different ages in the same group. And there are
schools which make shifting groups, by putting children together which are at the
same point of the learning process.
Qualified teachers
As of August 2011 competency and qualification criteria are applicable for teachers.
This means that the law prescribes that teachers should have a diploma which
indicates that they comply with all the qualification criteria. For the coming years
all teachers who are already giving classes may continue to do so. Teachers, whom
were competent according to the <strong>Law</strong> on the Netherlands Antilles, will keep their
competency. Teachers whom do not yet own a competency will have the chance to
obtain this within a period of five years.
Participation
<strong>The</strong> participation board is a representation of parents and personnel which meet at
least twice a year. Together with the school board they discuss the general situation
within the school. <strong>The</strong>se meeting can also take place more frequently upon request.
This way the participation board plays a role in the internal supervision of the
school. More information about the participation board will be provided at a later
point in time.
<strong>The</strong> school plan includes a description of the policy concerning the quality of education
that is being given within the school, and includes in any case the educational policy, the
personnel policy and the policy concerning the control and improvement of quality of
education. Having a school plan is obligated as of the 1st of August 2011.
<strong>The</strong> school board also annually prepares an annual report about the previous calendar
year (article 131).
See as well: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on primary education BES - Nr. 3.0
This folder is part of a series of folders listed below:
01.0 <strong>The</strong> educational system of the Dutch Caribbean
02.0 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on compulsory education BES
03.0 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on primary education BES
03.1 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on primary education BES
04.0 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on secondary education BES
04.1 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on secondary education BES
04.2 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on secondary education BES
05.0 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on education and vocational education BES (WEB BES)
05.1 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Law</strong> on education and vocational education BES (WEB BES)
06.0 Youth social opportunity program in the Dutch Carribbean
07.0 Employment conditions education personnel
08.0 School vacations in Dutch Caribbean
School plan and annual report
<strong>The</strong> school board takes care of the quality of the education at the schools. This
means that in any case the school board should execute the policy that has been
established in the school plan (see articles 13 and 15). <strong>The</strong> execution of the policy
should be, that the legal tasks for education are realized, just like the own tasks for
the school which the school board has included in the school plan.
Explanation of symbols on cover:
School board
School management
Teacher
Local government
This folder is a publication of:
Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, OCW
department
For more information, please consult our
website:
www.rijksdienstcn.com