By October 1 next year, the medical schools in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will know whether they receive formal recognition as institutes of higher learning. Dutch caretaker Minister of Education, Culture and Science Marja van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart informed Dutch Parliament on Friday that the medical schools have started the procedure for an extensive and reinforced examination as part of the request to be formally recognised as a legal entity for higher education at the Accreditation Organisation of The Netherlands and Flanders for higher education NVAO. An expert panel visited the medical schools in May this year, explained Van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart in response to written questions posed by the conservative VVD party in the Second Chamber. The NVAO will decide in August or September this year about the quality of education at the schools in question. If the NVAO gives a positive advice, the medical school in question may submit a request for formal recognition as a legal entity for higher education to the Minister of Education, Culture and Science. The Minister will seek an opinion from the Dutch Inspection for Education about the continuity of the legal entity and the compliance with the rules set in the Law on Higher Education and Scientific Research on the quality care, registration, level of education, exams and training requirements. After that the Minister will take a decision on granting the medical school a formal status as higher education institute. It has been agreed with the medical schools that the entire procedure should be completed by October 1, 2013.
The medical schools in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba need formal recognition from Dutch education authorities since the islands became part of The Netherlands as ‘public entities’ on October 1, 2010.
Source: “The Daily Herald” 2012-07-09 (102)
This is extremely bad news for the islands if this doesn’t go through – Saba relies heavily on the medical school for income. If the Netherlands decide not to grant formal status, this will be the end of Saba.
Were the islands aware of this before 10.10.10? Or was this another blank piece of paper policy.
This is a serious matter and raises much concern for us all. I am of the opinion that the Government of Saba should demand that a representative from Saba forms part of any team that will be carrying out any form of investigation for the accreditation. This reminds me just like what the same Dutch did to Saba and Statia several years ago with the Dutch Drivers License tourism. Sabans got to wake up as of now regarding this before it is too late. The lively hood of many Sabans in my opinion is on the line here.
I am calling on the Saba/St. Eustatius Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Saba Business Association, Saba Merchants Association, the Island Council of Saba, the Executive Council of Saba and the entire Saban community to monitor this whole affair very closely and seriously. Mind you I have warned you. Any attempts to jeopardize the operations of the school should not go down easy. If it means having to close down the island for a day or two so be it but people investments are at risk here. Enough is enough.
I seriously do not trust the Dutch with this matter.
What a stupid excitement in these reactions. This is a normal procedure that is also followed in the Netherlands itself when a private school with a commercial or even with a non-commercial profile wants to be aknowledged. The Netherlands are more carefull with their educational level than the USA where every idiot can start a “university” and can make money out of it. Not that I criticise the medical school on Saba, for this school has a good reputation. And also the quality of the dutch educational system can be criticised because of the fact that this has been going down for several decades. But the procedure to assess the quality of a school before aknowledging it is OK.
I am convinced that the head of the Economic Department of the of our government is in full control of this process. I am surprised that Mr. Dave Levenstone is reacting like this.
The work is going on for many moths now and this is well known for all concerned. It is the normal responsibility for the government for activities that are organized on its territory.
I suggest that Mr. Levenstone requests an interview with the Head of the Economic Department to learn the details of this process.
We have to remember this is an American school and not a Dutch private school.
Having read the comments I would like to ask a question.
What happens if the Netherlands do not accredit Saba’s medical school?
When the Dutch ministry of Education might decide that certain criteria are not met by this school nothing will happen. The school will continue to work in the same way as it has been doing in the years before.
If what you say is correct then all well and good, but then what is the point?
Before you make any further derogatory remarks regarding American universties out to make money – the point that was being made was that the school provides a great deal to the economy of the island – also it is the only income for a lot of people and without the school, regardless of its standards, the economy of this island would collapse.
That is why concern is being shown.
I will definitely not make negative remarks on the quality of the medical school on Saba. I have been told that thanks to the strict regime of selecting the students, no student has problems with follow-up study as soon as he has been graduated here on Saba. And yes, the school is very important for Saba. The only extra value of being aknowledged by the Dutch government could be, that students can finish their study more easily not only in the Netherlands but also in Europe. The negative effect for the school itself is likely to be that they will have to deal with a lot more administrative obligations and taking care that they will continue to fit in with the almost permanently changing prescriptions and legislation. I can tell you that directors of schools are sometimes getting crazy of all this. But that will be the choice of the school itself.
Hell must be freezing over; I actually agree with Rene.
If the Dutch do not approve the schools on the BES islands, students will not be able to sit for the US board exams and will be unable to continue with the clinical part of their programs (which occurs in the US). For any off shore US medical school to function in the Carib, it must be recognized by the country where it is located. Up to 10/10/10 this recognition (by the Netherlands Antilles) was in the form of a charter. Recognition now depends on accreditation. Recognition also allows these schools to be listed in the WHO and also IMED, which is required to sit for board exams. These listings are currently not a problem but will end; the Dutch will need to provide IMED and WHO with confirmation that they recognize the schools for continued listing. Without accreditation and continued recognition by the WHO and IMED students will be unable to sit for any exams, unable to continue their years 3 and 4 of medical school and unable to become a licensed doctor.
When Carib Medical Student (I did not know that we still had Red Indians on Saba
) is right, my judgement was too positive. On the other hand: seen the reputation and the quality of the medical school here, I would not be too worried about the future. I cannot imagine that the aknowledgement will be withheld.