COLE BAY–Students of St. Maarten’s biggest secondary school, Milton Peters College (MPC), came to the realisation that they would receive their diplomas and have the opportunity to go into the workforce or to continue their educational journey, at the annual graduation ceremony at Princess Port de Plaisance on Wednesday. Management of the school was elated with the passing rate this year for all streams.
VWO saw 9 out of 10 students pass, HAVO 30 out of 44 students, TKL 48 out of 65 students and PKL/PBL 44 out of 61 students passed their exams for this school year.
General Director of Milton Peters College (MPC) and Sundial School Wim de Visser said, “As SVOBE organisation, we are extremely happy with the great results. Especially the improvement we made in the course of the years at the vocational level. Extremely well did the Sundial School with 92 per cent graduates.
“At the TKL level we see each year improvement and we can say that we are pleased with their wonderful result. All results are comparable to the Dutch equivalent schools, showing how well we perform, as most of us are not first-language-speakers of Dutch. The results show that VWO, HAVO and TKL with Dutch as language of instruction are very much alive and are contributing to the development of country St. Maarten.
“The decision to go to English as language of instruction at the PKL/PBL level is paying out.
“I would like to congratulate all the students, their peers, families and also my good colleagues that made this all possible. I also would like to congratulate the SVOBE school board on these results. Their commitment to quality education and the direction the schools are heading shows off.”
In his address to students, De Visser stated, “Let me start by echoing the most applied understatement of the year: ‘This was not our easiest school year in the wake of Hurricane Irma.’
“The accuracy of this cliché is rather striking! It was a very tough year. Apart from all the damage to homes, schools, other buildings as well as the island’s infrastructure, we also went through a rough time from a personal perspective. The social and emotional effects are still felt and noticed day after day.
“Fortunately for most, we can now assign this occurrence to its appropriate slot and view it from a proper perspective. Still, for many among us Hurricane Irma will at least bear the same epic name for generations to come as did Hurricane Luis for many until recently. After the 6th of September we made a transition from ordinary everyday life to ‘the new normal,’ and it is from that point that we took the road to a new future.
“For you have graduated in great numbers! Congratulations are in order for this terrific result. Everyone is very proud of your wonderful achievement: your family, your friends, your teachers, the school management and yes, country St. Maarten! And of course, it is needless to say that proudest of all is you, the achiever.
“Despite repeated moments in the absence of education, despite the dire economic consequences for some families, despite our vulnerable moments of heavy dependence on help from abroad, in spite of it all, your focus remained on achieving good academic results. And you did just that! Both schools, MPC and Sundial School, have scored higher results than they have done in previous years.
“Some students might choose to develop themselves further by taking a year off or by joining the workforce. But, of course, the point of departure remains the motto ‘Lifelong Learning.’ We are never too old for further development. Learning gives insight, experience and room for making your own judgments and decisions. It further leads you into the process of becoming independent and placing your trademark on whatever motivates you.
“St. Maarten needs young ambitious people to contribute to the development of the country; as specialist, as supporter, as tradesman/craftswoman, as officer or as leader.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/78363-mpc-bids-farewell-to-131-graduates
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