Here’s a clear overview of education across Saint Martin / Sint Maarten, covering both the Dutch (Sint Maarten) and French (Saint-Martin) sides:
Sint Maarten (Dutch Side)
Structure & Governance
Education is compulsory from ages 4 to 18, under the oversight of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport, modeled on the Dutch system .
Primary education begins at age 4 and lasts until 12, followed by secondary streams: VSBO (vocational), HAVO (senior general), and VWO (pre-university) .
Schools & Institutions
The Stichting Voortgezet Onderwijs van de Bovenwindse Eilanden (SVOBE) operates major secondary schools like Milton Peters College (MPC) and Sundial School, offering Dutch-medium VWO/HAVO and vocational programs; Dutch is used in higher‑level streams, while English or bilingual instruction is common in others .
Private English-medium secondary education is available via institutions like St. Maarten Academy, which uses English, but receives subsidies from the government .
Special & Inclusive Education
In 2023, Sint Maarten launched a Secondary School for Special Education at SMVTS (Sint Maarten Vocational Training School) to support students with diverse learning needs, as part of a broader inclusion initiative .
Higher Education Options
Institution Focus
American University of the Caribbean (AUC) Private medical school in Cupecoy attracting international students
University of St. Martin (USM) Offers bachelor’s & associate degrees in business, education, applied sciences, hospitality, etc.
Sint Maarten Institute of Science and Technology (SMIST / SXM College) Collaborates with UNICARIBE (Dominican Republic) to offer a Master’s in ICT for local professionals
The government also supports student bursaries for study at home or abroad, including in the Netherlands and other countries .
Language & Cultural Diversity
While English is the lingua franca, Dutch is taught in schools and used in official documents, though rarely used in daily conversation .
The population is highly multilingual: many speak local English-based Creole, Spanish, Papiamento, and even Haitian or French Creole . Educational pathways often reflect this diversity, with bilingual instruction available in primary levels in French Saint‑Martin (around 7 % of pupils in 2022, expanding to ~620 students) .
