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The Fish Market in Simpson Bay was abuzz with activity on Wednesday as many residents dressed in ensembles representing the colours of the St. Maarten flag went out to enjoy dishes prepared by the restaurants that line the area.

The Government Building on Pond Island was decorated with St. Maarten flags on the fence around the building in observance of St. Martin/St. Maarten Day on Wednesday.

Sections of the Government Building were decorated in the colours of the St Read more

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Survey On Distant Learning Conducted.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Education Rodolphe Samuel announced on Wednesday that the Division of Inspection for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport conducted a survey of primary and secondary education teachers on distance learning.
The survey was active from September 24th to 30th, 2020, and was filled in by a total of 209 of 264 (80%) primary school teachers, and 133 of 268 (50%) secondary school teachers representing all subsidized school boards and the Division Public Education.
When these persons were asked to rate their health, the majority (64%) of primary and secondary school teachers indicated to be healthy Read more

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450 Students Returned To School This Week

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Rodolphe Samuel announced during the virtual live Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday that 450 primary and secondary exam class students had resumed face-to-face learning this week.

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Samuel Says Schools Making Preparations For Reopening

Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Rodolphe Samuel.

PHILIPSBURG--The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) says all schools are currently preparing for the return of exam and special education students.

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All Public Schools Get Temperature-Check, Hand-Sanitising Stations From Nagico

Education Minister Rodolphe Samuel tries out one of the hand-sanitising stations.

~ School supplies also given for pupils ~

PHILIPSBURG--In preparation for the reopening of schools to in-class instructions, NAGICO Insurances has donated automated hand-sanitising and temperature-check stations to all seve Read more

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Uwi And Usm Sign Mou Marking Historic Solidarity In The Caribbean

Antonio Carmona Baez, President of USMand Sir Henry Beckles, Vice-Chancellor UWI.

POND ISLAND-- University of St. Martin (USM) and University of the West Indies (UWI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) marking a historic partnership between the two universities.

USM after a decade of working in close partnership with UWI Open Campus, expressed an interest in joining UWI global system which includes joint centres with ten international universities, USM announced in a press release on Saturday.

The UWI Council discussed the concept note and approved it in principle earlier this year, asking Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and his team to develop a road map with a full proposal for further consideration.

That process began with the signing of an MOU between the two universities on Wednesday, October 7.

Vice-Chancellor of UWI, Professor Sir Beckles and Valerie Giterson-Pantophlet, President of the Board of USM met virtually to sign the MOU which marked a historic partnership, not only between the universities, but significantly for the framework for collaboration and regional development now established between the Dutch Caribbean and English-speaking territories of UWI.

As an Economic Historian, Professor Sir Beckles brought context to the importance of the occasion, noting that after 528 years almost to the date, of Christopher Columbus entry into the region on October 12, 1492, that this is A historic and courageous project that seeks to reverse the legacies of the Columbus project, to put those legacies behind us so that we can go forward as one people, one sovereign nation, one civilization Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The University of St Martin (USM), after a decade of working in close partnership with The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Open Campus, expressed an interest in joining The UWI global system which includes joint centres with ten international universities. The UWI Council discussed the concept note and approved it in principle earlier this year, asking Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, and his team to develop a road map with a full proposal for further consideration Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- In preparation for the reopening of Schools to in class instructions, NAGICO Insurances has donated automated hand sanitizing and temperature check stations to all seven (7) Public Schools and school supplies for the students.
This donation is a result of a partnership formed between NAGICO, the Ministry of Education, Sports & Culture to fully outfit the Public Schools with the necessary safety equipment and items needed to allow for proper sanitization, health, and safety measures in school.
With our school's physical reopening in the next week and the Coronavirus pandemic still prevalent, we at NAGICO felt it necessary and prudent to partner with the Department of Public Schools to help to provide a safe environment for our children and teachers as they venture back into the classrooms, Eric Ellis, Managing Director and Head of NAGICO St Read more

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St. Maarten Commemorates 1 St Decade Of Country Status With Virtual Events

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – On behalf of the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs hereby invites the people of St. Maarten to join and take part in the Virtual Commemoration of Constitution Day under the theme Decadal Growth and Progress, on October 12 th , 2020 at 10:00 am via Government of Sint Maarten Facebook page.

Today, Saturday, October 10, 2020, the commemoration commenced with a live National Address delivered by his Excellency, Governor of St Read more

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St. Maarten Commemorates 1St Decade Of Country Status With Virtual Events.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On behalf of the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs hereby invites the people of St. Maarten to join and take part in the Virtual Commemoration of Constitution Day under the theme Decadal Growth and Progress, on October 12th, 2020 at 10:00 am via Government of Sint Maarten Facebook page.

Today, Saturday, October 10, 2020, the commemoration commenced with a live National Address delivered by his Excellency, Governor of St Read more

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William: WeVe Come A Long Way, But We Have A Longer Way To Go

The signing of the final accord at the final Round Table Conference in September 2010. From left, front row: Advisor Eugene Holiday, then-Commissioner Sarah Wescot-Williams, then-Commissioner William Marlin and Rodolphe Samuel Read more

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Select Students May Start In-Class Instruction, Oct. 19

~ All students to return to in-class instruction starting November 16 ~

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Rodolphe Samuel says schools may allow some students to return to in-class instruction starting as early as Monday, October 19.

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PHILIPSBURG:--- On September 10th, 2020, members of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset joined club President, Elisia Lake, and gathered at the Government Administration Building for the presentation of 67 tablet computers to various public schools on the island. Rotary Sunset launched its tablet/computer donation drive in August with hopes to provide the much-needed computer devices to students who were unable to attend online classes.

 Supporting basic education and literacy is one of Rotarys primary areas of focus and Rotary Sunset strongly believes in the right to sound education for every child Read more

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Rotary Sunset Supports Online Learning With Tablet Donations

Philipsburg,St.MaartenOn September 10th, 2020, members of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset joinedclubPresident, Elisia Lake,andgathered at the Government Administration Buildingfor the presentationof67tablet computers to various public schools on the island.Rotary Sunset launched its tablet / computer donation drive in Augustwithhopestoprovide themuch-neededcomputer devices to students who were unable to attend online classes.

Supporting basic education and literacy is one of Rotarys primary areas of focus and Rotary Sunset strongly believes in the right to a sound education for every child. The club has organized numerous projects to promote education and literacy with its annual Reading Slumber Fun, Read A Book A Day Free Little Libraries and TeachersAppreciation initiatives, among others Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday, September 17, the Council of Ministers held a cooperation meeting with the Collectivit of Saint Martin at the Government Administration Building. Although this meeting was planned since earlier in the week, both governments are elated with the outcome of the unity march of Wednesday, September 16, that took place at the Cole Bay/Bellevue border checkpoint which led to the lifting of the border controls at the Bellevue and French Quarter checkpoints.

Present during the meeting were Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, Ministers Egbert Doran, Anna Richardson, Ardwell Irion, Ludmila de Weever, drs Read more

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Bell Realty Company Made Generous Contribution To The Education On Sint. Maarten

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The Bell Realty Company donated computers and printers to the seven public schools, as their contribution, towards education during this Corona Pandemic. This generous donation will assist the schools in providing online learning to the students attending the public schools on Sint Maarten.

One of the representative Mr. Russel Bell elaborated on the importance of education and the ability for students to be able to continue their education in spite of the current worldwide Covid Situation that requires a new Virtual reality. 

This family owned business has been in existence on Sint Maarten for 50 years and were elated to be able to contribute to  the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport with  this venture .

Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports drs Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The Bell Realty Company donated computers and printers to the seven public schools, as their contribution, towards education during this Corona Pandemic. This generous donation will assist the schools in providing online learning to the students attending the public schools on Sint Maarten.
One of the representative Mr. Russel Bell elaborated on the importance of education and the ability for students to be able to continue their education in spite of the current worldwide COVID Situation that requires a new Virtual reality Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister and Chair of EOC, Honorable Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, instructed all educational institutions on the island to be closed to students and the public as of March 18, 2020. To continue the learning process, schools opted to conduct classes online (distance learning) Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:---Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Rodolphe Samuel announced on Wednesday during the Council of Ministers press briefing that due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Annual Sport & Creative Industries Open House, will be presented as a virtual online event, via the Facebook pages of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, the Department of Sports and the Department of Culture, on September 14th, 2020 at 10 am Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- St. Maartens primary telecommunication provider, TelEm Group, is responding positively to its new role in the St. Maarten community - Virtual classroom provider.

 TelEm Group recently upgraded five public schools with an unprecedented internet connection package specially created for schools on the island, so that teachers can connect with students in remote classroom scenarios.

According to TelEm Group Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Mr. Michiel Parent, the key to the upgrades are faster upload speeds that enable students to receive instruction in real-time and also interact with their teachers.

Mr Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Education Rodolphe Samuel urged all schools to make use of the forms provided to them in the Education Continuity Plan to report all cases of COVID-19 in the event a student or staff member are tested positive for the virus. Minister Samuel said guidelines were also given to the schools in the event positive cases of coronavirus have been identified.
The Minister in response to a question on the school bus drivers and how they are being financed during the COVID-19 pandemic said an agreement was made with the school bus drivers when they were called to transport examination students Read more

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Government Waiting On Report From Health Professionals Before Moving Forward With Schools.

~ Distance Learning should be considered by private institutions.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The government of St. Maarten namely the Minister of Education Rodolphe Samuel in response to a question on Wednesday Council of Minister's press briefing said that his Ministry never set out to close schools on St. Maarten but in fact has an education continuity plan in place where it is recommended that educational institutions move forward through distance learning Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The Caribbean International Academy has dispatched a letter to the Minister of Education Rodolphe Samuel and the Minister of Health and Labor Richard Panneflek inf Read more

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Government Departments Affected By Second Wave Of Covid-19 As Numbers Increase.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Several Government offices and services are being affected by the second wave of the COVOD-19 outbreak on St. Maarten. The Department of Immigration and Border Controls closed their doors because an immigration officer tested positive for the COVID-19, due to contact tracing four other persons working at the department are now under quarantine.
The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau also had to close its doors as someone in high standing also tested positive. SMN News understands that all employees of the Tourist Bureau were sent to be tested while the office is now closed.
The Inspectorate of Health and Labor located at the Vineyard Building is also closed as an inspector tested positive Read more

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