GREAT BAY, St. Maarten (June 23, 2012) –In Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, and Youth affairs, SIlveria Jacobs, said that her ministry is working very hard with the Minister of Health Social Development and Labor , Cornelius de Weever to come up with a solution for the teacher shortage.

“We have been working very hard and we are giving a extension on their working permits so that they will be able to have the opportunity to complete their bachelors, if they (the teachers) were evaluated at below bachelor levels.” The Minister continued by saying that she has spoken with several school boards and representatives, and they are reassuring those teachers that it will not be so that they will be fired as long as we can get the agreement from them”. “Within their new contracts would state that they have to follow the courses necessary to be able to carry the qualifications which the law stipulates” she said.