Our Vision, Mission and Core Values
The vision:
The Inspectorate of ECYS will develop and evaluate structured and standardized inspection tools in consultation with stakeholders to professionalize our advisory and control tasks on the quality of services provided by organizations in the realm of education, culture, youth, and sport.
The mission:
The mission of the Inspectorate of ECYS is to act as an independent and professional agency that monitors and evaluates the quality of services provided by educational, cultural, youth and sport organizations to ensure that these entities abide by the laws on St. Maarten and work according to national and international standards and norms in their respective fields.
Our Core Values are:
- Quality.
- Integrity.
- Respect.
- Reliability.
- Professionalism.
- Continuous improvement
Core Tasks, Activities & Execution
Core Tasks:
- To monitor the execution of the education laws and policies effectively and efficiently.
- To promote and monitor the implementation of internationally recognized norms and rules pertaining to education on St. Maarten.
- To effectively and efficiently monitor the execution of the laws, rules and policies related to culture, youth & sport.
- To promote and monitor the implementation of internationally recognized norms and rules pertaining to youth care on St. Maarten.
- To promote and monitor the implementation of internationally recognized norms and rules pertaining to sport on St. Maarten.
- To promote and monitor the preservation and restoration of culture on St. Maarten based on internationally recognized norms and rules.
Execution of Core Tasks:
- Supervising, stimulating, monitoring, and participating in school related activities.
- Supervising, stimulating, and monitoring the implementation of Compulsory Education.
- Supervising, stimulating, and monitoring the national & international laws and rules pertaining to nationally organized culture, youth & sport activities.
- Facilitating the capacity development of all personnel to be better able to carry out their tasks
- Conducting research in the field of education.
Regular tasks and activities
- Reporting annually on the State of Education.
- Reporting annually on the supervision and implementation of the law on Compulsory Education.
- Report on the physical state of schools.
- Conducting research on the qualifications of teachers.
- Quality evaluations such as curriculum and teaching techniques.
- Supervision of examinations.
- Enforcing the law on compulsory education.
- Observance of the Education laws related to timetable deviation, admittance procedures, permanent removal of students.
- Review the principles & organization of schools, year programs, yearly reports, and year plans.
- Consultations with: School boards & school management, Inspectorates in the Netherlands, Curaçao & Aruba.
- Compiling an updated list containing the names of all 4–18-year-olds not registered at/in government subsidized schools based on information received yearly from the Census office.
- Development of “new” templates by the Inspectors and Head Inspectors.
- Promote safe school communities and promote inclusion (in collaboration with Community Police Officers, specifically focusing on cases in schools).
- Supervising the quality control of an examination and reporting of the results.
Providing recommendations and points for improvement while ensuring the quality of education, culture, youth, and sport.
Compulsory Education
The Division of Inspection ECYS in Sint Maarten is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Compulsory Education Law by tracking attendance, investigating absenteeism, processing exemption requests, and initiating enforcement actions where necessary. The role, carried out by the Truancy Officers within the division combines administrative oversight, field enforcement, and collaboration with schools, parents, and judicial authorities, with a strong emphasis on prevention and early intervention.
In St. Maarten, Compulsory Education was officially implemented in August 2009, and later formally codified in the 2013 National Ordinance on Compulsory Education (AB 2013, GT No. 590). The law applies to all children between the ages of 4 and 18 residing on the island. According to Article 2, paragraph 1, the ordinance mandates not only the right to education, but also requires that every child be enrolled in and attend an accredited school. As stated in Article 3, paragraph 2, a child remains subject to Compulsory Education until the end of the academic year in which they either reach the age of 18 or obtain a diploma in secondary education.
It is important to note that students who have completed qualifying secondary education programs such as TKL, HAVO, or VWO and have moved on to advanced programs like CAPE or the International Baccalaureate (IB), are no longer covered under the Compulsory Education Law. These students have fulfilled the statutory education requirement as defined in the ordinance.
Requesting an Exemption from School Attendance
To request an exemption from school attendance for your child(ren) under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS), refer to the procedure and requirements outlined below.
- Who Can Apply
- A parent or legal guardian must apply for the exemption by submitting all required documents to the school where the student is enrolled.
- Parent(s) or legal guardian(s) may contact the School Manager or Secretary with any questions.
- Required Documents
The following documents must be included with the application:- A copy of the valid passport or photo identification of:
- the student(s);
- the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) applying and
- the person who will be travelling with the student(s).
- A notarized authorization letter is required if the student is not travelling with their parent(s) or legal guardian(s).
- If a student has both parents’ last name, an authorization letter must be provided by the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) who are not traveling with the student. If both parent(s) or legal guardian(s) are accompanying the student, no authorization letter is required.
- The proposed itinerary (reservation) must clearly indicate the date of departure from and return to Sint Maarten.
Important Note: The Division of Inspection is not responsible for tickets purchased without prior approval. Applicants should submit a reservation only, not confirmed tickets.
Documentation supporting the reason for the exemption request, such as:
- For immigration matters: an appointment confirmation or official notice;
- For medical reasons: a doctor’s letter or a letter from SZV;
- For relocation abroad: a school registration letter showing that the child is enrolled in a new school in the country listed;
- For family matters: an invitation to an event or a letter signed by a parent(s)/legal guardian(s) explaining the situation.
- For sport/culture: a letter from the organization inviting the student.
- Application Timing
- Applications should be submitted a minimum of two weeks in advance of the intended date of travel to ensure timely processing.
- Requests submitted later than this may not be processed in time and risk being denied.
- Exceptions may be made in the case of medical emergencies or funerals.
Procedure for Schools
- The school is required to complete, sign, and stamp the exemption form issued by the Division of Inspection. The school provides its recommendation as it has direct knowledge of the student’s overall situation (attendance, communication with parent(s), work ethic, academic performance, and development).
- The school must email the exemption form, along with all the supporting documents, to the Division of Inspection at truancy@sintmaartengov.org.
- Exemption requests may be denied by the school. In such cases, the school will notify the Inspectorate and provide us with the relevant information.
Decision Process
- The Division of Inspection reviews and processes the application, then submits its decision to the school.
- The school informs the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the decision.
- The school provides the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) with a copy of the final decision.
Contact Information
- For any questions regarding the exemption process, the applicant may contact the Division of Inspection:
- By telephone: +1 (721) 542-3479 · Or send an email to the following address: truancy@sintmaartengov.org
- Important Note: Submitting an exemption request does not guarantee approval. All requests are evaluated individually based on the supporting documents and reasons provided.