PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon. Melissa Gumbs, has taken note of a recent media report concerning multiple teacher resignations from St. Dominic High School, operated by the Foundation Catholic Education St. Maarten (SKOS). The accounts provided by the affected educators raise serious concerns regarding institutional culture, governance, and staff wellbeing.
While the Ministry does not exercise direct managerial control over subsidised school boards, it holds a constitutional responsibility to promote quality, equitable, and safe education for all children on Sint Maarten, regardless of the governing body. In this light, the concerns expressed by former staff must be acknowledged as a matter warranting further attention.
“Every teacher who enters a classroom plays a vital role in shaping our nation’s future,” said Minister Gumbs. “When educators feel unsupported or undervalued, the impact extends beyond the workplace; it disrupts continuity, weakens student engagement, and risks long-term consequences for learning outcomes. The Ministry remains committed to fostering a climate across all schools, public and subsidised, where educators are respected, leadership is accountable, and students can thrive.”
Additionally, the ministry continues to work toward strengthening the framework for educational oversight, including through the draft Education Supervision Law, which aims to provide more robust mechanisms for transparency, compliance, and quality assurance across the entire education sector.
“I extend my gratitude to the educators who have served at St. Dominic and across the country with professionalism and heart, often in difficult circumstances,” Minister Gumbs added. “As an alumni of the school’s primary and high school ecosystem, it is worrying to read that things seem to have changed but not in favour of students and teachers. Let this moment be a call to all stakeholders to recommit to the values of transparency, inclusion, and integrity that should define all our learning institutions.”
The ministry will provide further updates as appropriate and encourages open dialogue among all parties in the interest of constructive, student-centred solutions.