PHILIPSBURG:--- Several teachers teaching at Schools on the Dutch side of the island is in for a rude awakening as certain school boards have decided not to pay vacation allowances this year due to the cut in subsidy.
One school that is contemplating not to pay the vacation allowance is the St. Maarten Academy that has about 142 staff members, most of whom are teachers. Sources say that the St. Maarten Academy received at 20% in cuts and they are unable to pay vacation allowances.
The Minister of Education has said the subsidy was cut based on the number of students enrolled at the school.
Another high school SMN News learned may not pay out vacation allowances is the Milton Peters College.
While the Ministry of Education has been cutting back on subsidy for schools that have a full staff they are busy subsidizing the MAC High where there is a shortage of teachers and students are forced to take extra lessons if they want to keep up simply because they are not being taught at school. The MAC High lacks teachers in Mathematics, English, Geography and other subjects which the Minister and his department heads are aware of.
