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A14 LOCAL
Thursday 9 January 2020
2020, Dedicated to Innovation and Education
ORANJESTAD – In just a blink of an eye we’re now in 2020, a new year
and a new decade. Surely this New Year will be a successful one filled
with knowledge, positive developments, and learning opportunities. As
Aruba was transitioning into this new era, the government announced
in 2019 that 2020 will be dedicated to innovation and education. Last
year the government focused on the family unit as the foundation of
the Aruban society and especially with the goal of reducing domes-
tic abuse. In a press conference, last year, the Minister of Education,
Science and Sustainable Development, dr. Armando Lampe, seemed
very optimistic and expressed on his Facebook page that; “the secret
to change is not by focusing your energy on what already exists, but
by contributing with something new”.
A new year, a new face for the Creative Islander
Considering this year’s focus on innovation and education, the Cre-
ative Islander decided it was time for a change. In 2018 when this
column started, the primary goal was to share my research results on
the effect that culture and creativity could have on socio-economic
and cultural developments on the island. Since then, it has become so
much more. Now that we transitioned into 2020, the Creative Islander
has a new logo and is bursting with new ideas and projects. One of
the main goals with the rebranding of the Creative Islander is to open
the platform to a wider audience, so one of the changes in 2020 is
that the column will be present on Facebook.
Also, a website has been made that correlates to Aruba Today’s web-
site and Facebook page. On both the website and Facebook page,
relevant updates, news, information projects, events, contact infor- (2019) “primary education has the ing, with the aim of strengthening
mation that are not disclosed in the columns are available. The new
logo represents the mind and the human thought process stimulated
through knowledge and creativity, but incorporates different shapes
and colors reflecting Aruba’s diverse community and the goal of en-
hancing community cohesion. All the different colors and shapes to-
gether make one solid network, one sustainable island. The idea be-
hind it is to show that there is beauty in imperfection and that every- Higher education in Aruba counts
one has a place in society.
Another noticeable change this ment of Education Aruba, 2019)”
year will be the introduction of (p. 20). Furthermore, it is stated
the “Goal of the Month”. For that “from the report ‘Enseñansa
those who are not familiar with na Aruba: Relato Estadistico 2016-
the SDGs, they are the UN’s 2030 2017’ (Education in Aruba: Sta-
agenda consisting of 17 goals to tistical Report 2016-2017) in 2016,
ensure sustainable development. females represent approximately
Almost all countries in the world, 50% of the total student popula-
including Aruba, has dedicated tion of Aruba. However, looking
themselves to the implementa- at relevant (innovative) sectors
tion of these goals, with the aim such as the science & technology
of “leaving no one behind”. The department at the EPI, only 10%
“Goal of the Month” will for the of the 337 students in 2016 are
most part follow UN’s yearly plan- female, thus a low female par-
ning and topic overview for 2020. ticipation rate in STEM studies. On
This month, the Goal of the Month the other hand, looking at female
will be SDG 4, Quality Education. participation in higher education,
in 2016 this reached 67% at the
The SDGs versus Innovation and University of Aruba and 94% at the
Education IPA, thus a high female participa-
Since the adoption of the 2030 tion rate in other fields” (p. 21).
Agenda, the role and contribution
of culture to sustainable develop- Within the UN body, the United
ment has been more elaborative Nations Educational, Scientific
in national and local cultural poli- and Cultural Organization (UNES-
cies, especially considering cul- CO) is responsible for solving is-
ture’s contribution to economic sues such as the impact of digital
development, social inclusion and technology on culture and new
education. However, this seems to culture-related professions, the
be very limited or possibly non-ex- links between culture, creativity
istent in Aruba. Even though edu- and innovation, the relationship
cation is relevant across all the 17 between culture and education,
goals, SDG 4, highlights education and the ethics of artificial intel-
as a human right and as a key for ligence related to culture are
sustainable development. SDG 4 likely to emerge in the coming
has 7 targets that aim by 2030 to decades. In their eyes, cities (such
ensure: equitable and quality pri- as Oranjestad and San Nicolas),
mary and secondary education; serve as pedals of innovation and
access to quality early childhood have become essential stake-
development, care and pre-pri- holders in connecting culture to
mary education; equal access to development priorities such as;
affordable and quality technical, the revitalization of public spaces,
vocational and tertiary educa- the support of education for sus-
tion, including university; the in- tainable development, and the
crease of relevant skills, including support of intercultural discourse.
technical and vocational skills, for Undeniably, the rising participa-
employment, decent jobs and en- tion of civil society in sustainable
trepreneurship, and much more. development also lays the foun-
dation for more inclusive policies.
Regarding educational statistics Hence, education in the 21st cen-
of Aruba, according to Franken tury have taken on a new mean-
highest number of students (35% non-formal, technical and voca-
of student population of Aruba), tional education and training and
while in the secondary level, the lifelong learning, in a way that is
general education MAVO has the fitting to the diversity of the popu-
highest number of students (14% lation and the overall challenges
of student population of Aruba). of inclusion and social cohesion.
for 3% of the total student (Depart- Continued on Page 15