Community News

Central committee visits Innovations Bureau

Story - Saba Government Information Services and photo by Dave Levenstone.

The Bottom, Saba: April 11, 2005

Members of the Central Committee of the Island Council of Saba on Monday morning paid a working visit to the Innovations Bureau which is located at St. John's. The delegation from the Central Committee of the Island Council consisted of Chairman and Island Council Member Mr. Rolando Wilson, Island Council members Lisa Hassell and Lucia Woods. Island Council Member Will Johnson was unable to attend due to some pior appointments and Island Council Member and leader of the opposition party Mr. Steve Hassell could not be present due to other private matters.

The delegation was welcomed to at the Innovations Bureau by the Head of Education Mr. Franklin Wilson and Task Manager for Foundation Based Education Ms. Henriette van Heijnsbergen.

Chairman of the Central Committee Mr. Wilson outlined that the members of the Central Committee felt the need to visit the facility to obtain first hand information regarding the status of FBE and to be better informed regarding the new innovations in education. He outlined that in view of the upcoming debate later this year on the 2006 budget it was of utmost importance for them to visit and discuss with the stakeholders.

Mr. Franklin Wilson welcomed the delegation and explained them what his department together with the Innovations Bureau has been doing. He pointed out that his department has 5 persons presently working at the department of which two is employed at the Education Department and three are with the Innovations Bureau. He explained that within short they would be having one or two more persons joining them. He also told the members of the Central Committee that in regard to VSBO they are hoping to soon have a Task Manager appointed.

Task manager Henriette van Heijnsbergen gave a detailed explanation regarding FBE on Saba and how far the island is with the new innovations and the amount of money that is being spent on this process. She informed the members of the Central Committee that Holland is contributing financially by 85%, Netherlands Antilles with 10% and the Island Territory of Saba by 5%. She told the members that they are working very diligently with the other islands in making sure that Saba is not left behind in any form. We are on top of things and all of our financing is now approved in order for us to continue working in the interest of the Saba children. We have also been working very closely with USONA on various projects for the educational innovations on the island. She also explained that teachers have been attending workshops in order to assist them with the necessary skills for the innovations. She explained that by law the teachers are allowed an extra 10 days per school year for them to attend workshops etc. and so far for this school year they have only used up 4 days and every Wednesday afternoon the teachers at the elementary school get together and work on various areas of concern that has to do with FBE. By doing this we are not forced to have to close the school.

Ms. van Heijnsbergen informed the members of the Island Council that Saba is on the right track where FBE is concerned we are in our 3rd year and it is going as planned. Base on the size of the island we are more advanced than the other islands.

Mr. Franklin Wilson also made mention that with the FBE it is expected that in the long run we will have smarter children and better educated children. Both Mr. Wilson and Ms. van Heijnsbergen however felt that with all of the changes in elementary education it is important that parents start becoming more involved in their children's future. They both felt that parents are not making use of the possibility to attend parents meetings and other educational related activities that they need to know about. We are always willing and prepared to discuss the new developments with the parents but they have to attend the activities when they are organized. Every month we issues a bulletin for parents and all intersted persons but they can also visit our department for any further information that they might need.

Mr. Franklin Wilson suggested that maybe a Parents Appreciation Day should be considered holding in order to get parents motivated about Foundation Based Education and all other educational related issues.

The three members of the Island Council were very delighted with the many answers that they were able to obtain from Mr. Wilson as well as Ms. van Heijnsbergen. During the meeting it was also decided that twice per school year the Central Committee would visit the Innovations Bureau and exchange ideas with the department. Island Council Members Wilson, Hassell and Woods thanked both Mr. Wilson and Ms. van Heijnsbergen for their informative explanation and look forward in being able to meet with them much later in the new school year.

Photo (top): At table: Mr. Franklin Wilson, Island council member Lisa Hassell, Island Council Member and Chairman of the Central committee Mr. Rolando Wilson, Island council member Lucia Woods and task manager Ms. Henriette van Heijnsbergen.

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Photo (middle): Group photo sitting Island Council member Ms. Lisa Hassell, Island Council Member Rolando Wilson and Island Council Member Lucia Woods, standing Ms. Henriette van Heijnsbergen, Mrs. Donna Lockhart-Cane, Head of Education Mr. Franklin Wilson and Mrs. Sharon Oleana of the Education Department.

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