PHILIPSBURG – The situation at the National Institute of Professional Advancement (NIPA), while not completely resolved, is moving in a positive direction, according to Minister of Education Silveria Jacobs.
“I held meetings with the other stakeholders. We’ve all decided on new representatives for the board. They’ve held their first meeting on Monday last with the outgoing members to discuss the information that they would need for the transition as well as the transitional document etc., and they are scheduled to meet again next week,” the Minister said at the weekly Council of Ministers press conference on Wednesday, March 9.
She said at that executive meeting, a decision would have to be made on who will hold executive functions to avoid the late payment of staff members last month. The new board is expected to sit at next week’s meeting.
Jacobs said she will not have any say in what the board does except through her representatives. The composition comprises two representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, as well as a representative of FAVE (Board that manages St. Maarten Academy schools), Minister of VSA, the Chamber of Labour Unions and SVOBE.
“All stakeholders, I must reiterate, are looking in the same direction making sure that the National Institute for Professional Advancement is better equipped to meet the needs of especially the students who are leaving these two schools at the VSBO levels. These schools were specifically created for this. It also gives a second chance to students who have dropped out, which is the main reason why it was established,” she stated.
She said the stakeholders are prepared to make changes to the statutes if necessary to help improve the operations of NIPA.
Jacobs: NIPA issue moving in a positive direction
