84% of the Milton Peters College and Sundial School students pass in this special Covid year

SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) - On Friday July 2^nd, the results of the second round of central examinations of the Dutch exam programs became clear, a press release from SVOBE Schools Innovation Coordinator Saskia Kliphuis.

“In total 206 students sat their exams in this special Covid 19 exam year and 174 managed to pull through: 100% at Sundial School, 85% at TKL and 92% at MPC- PBL &PKL, 57% at Havo and 69% at VWO. A few students will still do a re-sit in the so-called third round.

“Covid-19 had a tremendous impact on this year’s exam cohort. In their pre-exam year they endured the lockdown and the sudden move to online learning. In their exam year they were allowed back in school in October, but on rotation basis (1 week in school, 1 week online from home) in order to abide to the 6 feet distance rule.

“To compensate for this the Netherlands and the Sint Maarten government adapted the exam criteria, which in general meant that students received the opportunity to do more re-sits and especially at the PSVE level, some subjects did not count for passing. At HAVO and VWO level, the regular rule that students have to have a sufficient average for all Central Examinations was upheld and unfortunately resulted in many students failing the passing requirements.

“We congratulate all graduates with their perseverance during Covid 19 and their good results.

“Special mention can be made of the following students:

Denzel Washington completed the HAVO with an average of 8.1 on his central written exams. Zhanica Arrindell, who after having completed the HAVO two years ago, now passed for VWO with an average of 7.4 on her final grades (school exams and central exams together)

Joshua Hutchinson of MPC PKL managed to get an 8.8 on his central written exam for Business Administration and a 7.9 average on the central exams

Amaru Murray, of the Sundial school, who received the perseverance award for pushing through despite many learning challenges and Adante Pitter of the TKL, who after having graduated for PKL decided to continue with TKL despite his struggles with the Dutch language and managed to get his TKL diploma with sheer determination.

“Covid-19 also influenced the CXC exams, which have been postponed. Currently the first batch of CXC students at MPC are sitting their CSEC examinations with their last exam scheduled on July the 30^th. The form 3 CXC students will have to wait even longer: their CCSLC junior high exams will take place in August,” the statement concludes.