July 8, 2025
The Bonaire Human Rights Organization (BHRO) has formally submitted a complaint to the Human Rights Committee on Education (HRC-Education) and the Human Rights Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (HRC-CERD) and addressed to the Dutch Ministry of Education. The complaint highlights ongoing violations of children’s rights and systemic educational discrimination at Bonaire only high school, Scholengemeenschap Bonaire, specifically within the Liseo Boneriano unit.
The complaint identifies several key issues, including the marginalization of Native children. The current educational framework undermines students’ right under Article 73 of UN Charter, denies them equal opportunities, and violates international human rights standards. The community is witnessing the denial of Bonerian children’s basic rights to dignity, equality, and cultural expression in education since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010.(10-10-10)
A major concern is the reversal from native language Papiamentu to foreign Dutch language in education, which discriminates against local children. Judged on native children’s ability to comprehend a foreign language rather than intellectual ability, they are often placed in lower educational levels, reinforcing systemic inequalities. Following the 10-10-10 reforms, Papiamentu-speaking teachers were mostly replaced by Dutch-speaking teachers who cannot communicate in Papiamento. This marginalizes local students, as they struggle to understand lessons and are wrongly assessed based on language skills, not academic potential. “This violates UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Status of Teachers (1966),” that education should be teached in a child’s mother tongue by local teachers.”
Another issue is the criticism local children face from Dutch-speaking teachers due to their accents when speaking Dutch. This discrimination leads to stigmatization, lowering the children’s morale and fostering an inferiority complex. Instead of recognizing the children’s intellectual abilities, their comprehension and ability of foreign imposed language is used as norm of deficiency, creating psychological harm and further alienating them from the educational system. This not only affects students’ academic performance but also their sense of self-worth and cultural identity.
The exclusion of parents from key educational decisions violates their rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Parents should play a meaningful role, but the current system sidelines them, eroding trust and undermining collaboration with educators and the school system.
Another critical issue is the fear of teachers are hesitant to speak out against the systemic discrimination they witness, for fear of retaliation from school authorities, further perpetuating the status quo.
The current educational environment on Bonaire contributes to a high dropout rate and plays a major role in increased youth violence, student distress, and even crimes, including recent homicides and suicides. Is it a coincidence that, two decades ago, the Dutch prioritized building the second-largest jail per capita on Bonaire, possibly anticipating the failures of the current education system? This urgent and dire situation demands immediate reform to prevent further harm to children’s mental health and well-being.
The complaint and petition call on Minister Bruins and the Dutch government to take immediate action on the following points: 1- Revise and reinstate Papiamentu as the primary language of instruction throughout the entire education system, in line with international human rights principles, and to preserve cultural identity. 2- Implement anti-discrimination policies to ensure that all students, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, are treated equally. 3- Protect and empower teachers to advocate for students without fear of retaliation. 4- Return local governance of education to the people of Bonaire to ensure that the educational system reflects the values, language, and culture of the local community.
The BHRO complaint is supported by the community and includes an ongoing petition signed by local concerned parents and residents.
The BHRO is committed to fighting until equality and protection of Bonerian children’s rights are reinstated and protected under Article 73 of the UN Charter, that emphasizes the responsibility to promote the well-being and educational advancement of the inhabitants, respecting their culture and protecting them from abuse, ensuring that Bonerians are not treated as a minority group or second-class citizens. It is time for an education system that complies with international law and human rights treaties—one that values and respect the language, culture, and potential of Bonaire’s children.