SINT MAARTEN — The Division of Public Education, in collaboration with the Sint Maarten National Commission for UNESCO, is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of its Literacy and Numeracy Training initiative, which ended on September 30, 2026.
The professional development program was designed to strengthen early childhood education across public schools by equipping kindergarten teachers (Cycle 1, Groups 1 & 2) with effective instructional strategies to support foundational learning in reading, writing, and mathematics.
The training sessions commenced on May 20, 2026, and were held at the University of St. Martin. Through a series of sessions conducted between May and September, participating teachers had the opportunity to enhance their teaching skills, deepen their understanding of foundational literacy and numeracy, and strengthen their approaches to supporting young learners.
Upon completion of the program, participants gained valuable knowledge and instructional strategies to support children entering kindergarten, along with access to updated teaching materials and resources to enhance early childhood instruction. As part of the training, participants also developed curriculum materials to support literacy and numeracy instruction.
As a follow-up to the training, a meeting will be held with the Head of the Division of Public Education and school managers to share the curriculum materials developed by the participants. This meeting will provide an opportunity to showcase the work completed during the training and discuss how the materials can be utilized to support and strengthen literacy and numeracy instruction in schools.
Marcellia Henry, Secretary-General of the Sint Maarten National Commission for UNESCO, expressed her appreciation to all those who contributed to the successful completion of the training.
“On behalf of the Sint Maarten National Commission for UNESCO, I extend my sincere thanks to the facilitators for sharing their expertise, dedication, and knowledge throughout the training. I also congratulate all participating teachers on successfully completing the sessions and commend them for their commitment to professional growth and improving educational outcomes for our children.
“We are grateful to UNESCO for providing the funding that made this initiative possible. Special recognition is also extended to the Division of Public Education for recognizing the need to strengthen teachers’ literacy and numeracy skills and for taking the initiative to ensure that educators had the opportunity to participate in this valuable professional development program. Investing in our teachers is an important step toward strengthening the foundation of learning for our youngest students.”
Special acknowledgment is extended to Marva Sam-Arrindell and Juliana Hodge-Shipley, the trainers whose expertise and commitment supported the delivery of the program. Appreciation is also extended to Miranda Morris-Carty, Dutch Coordinator for the Division of Public Education Schools, for her leadership and coordination in facilitating the initiative, and to Claudia Connor, who recognized the need for this training and submitted the project during her tenure at the Division of Public Education.
The successful completion of this training marks an important milestone in the ongoing efforts to strengthen the quality of early childhood education in Sint Maarten. The follow-up meeting to share the curriculum materials will further support the application of the knowledge and skills gained during the program and encourage the continued use of effective teaching strategies in the classroom.
Through this initiative, the Division of Public Education and the Sint Maarten National Commission for UNESCO reaffirm their commitment to supporting teachers, strengthening literacy and numeracy instruction, and building a strong educational foundation for future generations.
