THE HAGUE – Many Caribbean students who come to the Netherlands to study run into all kinds of blockages that prevent them from reaching the finish line, the National Ombudsman announced after an investigation.
“It often goes wrong during the preparation phase and once in the Netherlands, Caribbean students encounter obstacles, both in practical matters such as housing, health insurance and study, but especially also in the cultural field,” said the ombudsman. After their studies they are often left with a problematic student debt.
Every year about 1,600 young people from Curaçao, Aruba, St. Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands start their studies in the Netherlands in good spirits. According to the researchers, teachers or fellow students pay little attention to the specific problems of this group of students.
The Dutch National Ombudsman calls on governments within the Kingdom to remove the bottlenecks that Caribbean students encounter.
“These young talents are of great importance for the future of the islands. It is important that their studies in the Netherlands provide a positive basis for a successful career at home or in the Netherlands.”
