Successful Baccalaureate students with their diplomas at the annual Soirée de Lauréats held in the garden of Hotel de la Collectivité on Saturday night.
MARIGOT–President Daniel Gibbs congratulated new graduates who passed their exams this year at the annual Soirée de Lauréats held in the garden of Hotel de la Collectivité on Saturday night.
Some 163 young graduates registered for the Soirée where the Collectivité rewards the top performers with gifts. This year there were 49 Baccalaureate “mentions”, including 35 “fairly good”, seven “Fair” and seven “very good”. In addition, 23 passed their Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS – associate degree), two with a Bachelor’s and two with a Master’s degree.
“Know that your families, friends, elected officials, are very proud of your success,” said Gibbs. “This success must be shared by your families, but also by your teachers and schools. The teaching staff has a heavy responsibility on their shoulders, I am fully aware of this, and I wish to publicly acknowledge their commitment. You have made your first steps for the future. Congratulations to all. St. Martin is proud of you!
“Some of your classmates have not been so lucky. They’re going to have to retake their exams. I would like to tell them not to get discouraged, to hold on, not to give up – as I often say – because in the end, work always pays off. I know how difficult these situations of failure are for the young people who are going through them, for their parents too. We must not be discouraged. Life is marked by failures and these often allow us to bounce back and build ourselves.”
He noted that the Executive Council had allocated 874,000 euros as Exceptional Mobility Grants for 2018-2019 and 345 students ages 16-25 years had benefited from this financial support.
“Thanks to this boost from the Collectivité which complements existing schemes, our young people have been able to study in Europe and abroad.
“The Executive Council created a new regional study support system on June 27 which is an incentive scholarship intended to support students in specific fields of expertise where there is a need in St. Martin. They include health professions: midwife, doctor, nurse; teaching professions; managers in public administration; spatial planning and tourism development; renewable energies; new technologies; social careers; law and justice.
“Students in these courses are eligible for the incentive grant, which starts at 2,500 euros in the first year and increases according to the years of study. The student has to sign a moral contract with the Collectivité to access it. As you have understood, this scholarship is an incentive to return to work in the region in job-bearing sectors. I would like to thank my Vice-President and her teams for setting up this new system.
“Some of you will be leaving soon. You will represent your territory abroad, so you will be ambassadors and guardians of our Friendly Island image. I count on you to represent your island with pride and respect.
“Because you are the driving forces of tomorrow, I encourage you to start training, to acquire new knowledge, but I also invite you to come back – with your experience and diplomas – to contribute to the development of St. Martin. You have your place on your island, we need you to take over. That is why – gradually – we are putting in place measures to support your return home.
“Access to employment for 18- to 25-year-olds is a real concern for the Collectivité. Just recently, we agreed on a new partnership with Initiative Saint-Martin Active – our local initiative platform – to support young project leaders. We will have the opportunity to publicize this partnership in September.
“For more than 20 years, the Commune, then the Collectivité, has been organizing the ‘Emplois Vacances’ (holiday work) programme every summer. This year, we are welcoming 160 young people to the various services of the Collectivité in July and August. I am very keen on this, because it is an immersion in the territorial public service that is a very enriching experience. It allows us to get a better understanding of how the institution works.
“The ‘Lend a Hand’ operation is also very successful. In July and August, 51 partner companies welcome around 200 young people who receive on-site professional experience. In fact, several contracts lead to hiring each year. We acknowledge the commitment of the companies that play the local employment game.
“And then, for those who wish to improve their skills through initial and vocational training, we signed the Territorial Plan for Vocational Training last March. This new 2019-2020 Plan offers 26 training modules linked to business needs for a total amount of 1.6 million euros financed with the support of European Social Funds (ESF).
“The objective of our public policies in favour of youth is to provide education for all, but one that is appropriate for everyone. This is a real challenge, because the national model must be adapted to the realities of St. Martin. And we are working on this with the National Education Department because the success of our youth, and of our territory, depends directly on it.
“For example, by reducing illiteracy, absenteeism and school failure, the excellent results of the assessment classes have shown the need for education adapted to the specific linguistic characteristics and realities of St. Martin. That is why, together with my Vice-President Annick Pétrus, we are asking for a fully-fledged Vice-Rectorat in St. Martin. Our request was heard by the President of the Republic. It is now up to the State to make it a reality.
“I would also like to make mention of young people who have entered professional fields. Whether within the Army, with the Adapted Military Service Regiment (RSMA), in apprenticeship courses, or at the vocational school, we need to train local youth in hotel and restaurant, marine, agriculture and service professions. These sectors are just as rewarding and necessary as the general sector. When well-trained, our young people have every chance of finding a job here in St. Martin in these promising fields.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/89363-gibbs-congratulates-new-graduates-at-collectivite-s-soiree-des-laureats
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