QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS – July 2022 Temporarily divergent registration procedure for study year 2022-2023 in higher education due to COVID-19

Important notice for students who will be leaving the island to further their studies in the Netherlands
Just like last year, the Ministry of OCW issued a document, explaining the speed legislation for the year 2021-2022.
The speed legislation stipulates that students from Statia can register at Dutch institutions for higher education, even though they have not yet received their CXC certificates.

1. QUESTION:

How is this emergency legislation relevant to the Caribbean Netherlands?

ANSWER:

This emergency legislation is important for secondary school pupils who will be leaving school this year and want to continue their studies in the year 2022-2023 at a college or university in the European Netherlands.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, some pupils are unable to meet the identified pre-qualification or admission requirements because they will receive their CXC diploma after the start of the new academic year.

2. QUESTION:

What does this legislation offer to pupils who, due to COVID- 19, are unable to meet entry requirements for their next course?

ANSWER:

This legislation makes sure that, in certain cases, pupils can be provisionally admitted to their next course and can register as a student.

3. QUESTION:

What exactly does this provisional approval entail?

ANSWER:

Provisional approval means that (aspiring) students are entitled to exactly the same provisions as they would be under normal circumstances, to prevent any unnecessary study delays. Provisional approval is a possibility that can be used by the educational institution and not a right of the student concerned. A student that is provisionally accepted is entitled to all the provisions that a student is entitled to under normal circumstances. This thus includes the right to study financing

4. QUESTION:

How long will this provisional approval remain valid?

ANSWER:

Students that have been provisionally admitted must still meet entry requirements, or the qualification requirements implemented by the learning institution, within a particular period of time. Students that start a Bachelor’s programme must comply with pre-qualification requirements by the 1st of January, 2023 at the latest.

5. QUESTION:

What happens if students are unable to meet the requirements for starting their next course before the identified date?

ANSWER:

The institution will be entitled to terminate a student’s registration if s/he is unable to meet all entry requirements within the identified period.

6. QUESTION:

What if a student, due to no fault of his or her own, is unable to meet the entrance requirements on the 1st of January, 2023?

ANSWER:

If there is a risk of this situation being encountered, it is important that the students contact the institution (where they are registered) as soon as possible. The board of the college/university concerned can subsequently decide against termination of the registration on January 1, 2023, if this termination would lead to unfairness (the “hardheidsclausule). In that case the college/university will be entitled to extend this period to the 1st of September, 2023, at the latest.

7. QUESTION:

Does the above also apply to pupils from St. Eustatius and Saba, who complete the CXC’s CSEC or CAPE courses and only receive their official test scores and (school) diploma by December 2022 at the latest?

ANSWER:

Yes, this also applies to pupils from Saba and St. Eustatius. Based on this emergency legislation, it is possible to register pupils from Saba and St. Eustatius even if a CXC diploma has not yet been issued. Such admissions will be provisional. The (original) diploma or school diploma must have been received by the Student administration by the 31st of December, 2022, at the latest.

8. QUESTION:

Where can I find this legislation?

ANSWER:

The information in this document is based on the “modified Higher Education Act and Student Funding Act 2000 concerning temporary provisions for study year 2022-2022 due to COVID-19”. You can access the whole text via https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/wetsvoorstellen/ detail?cfg=wetsvoorsteldetails&qry=wetsvoorstel%3A36095 Any other questions?

If you have any other questions about Study financing, please contact RCN Studiefinanciering via studiefinanciering@rijksdienstcn.com or

tel. +599 715 8704.

For education-related issues (exams, diplomas and the transition to higher education), please contact the head of the OCW department in the Caribbean Netherlands, via nolly.oleana@rijksdienstcn.com or

tel. +599 781 0308.