Thr Hague – Schools in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will have to facilitate sexual diversity classes in the near future to create a greater acceptance of homosexuality.
Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science Marja van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart recently sent a General Measure of Government (Algemene Maatregel van Bestuur) to the Council of State for advice. The General Measure concerns the use of sexual education and education about homosexuality for primary and secondary schools in the Netherlands.
Van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart said in a recent meeting with the Second Chamber’s Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations that she would take a separate decision when to introduce sexual diversity education in the Dutch ‘public entities’ Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. She said that no exception would be made for the islands despite the fact that it is considered a sensitive topic.
However, the islands were already busily engaged with the implementation of a number of improvements in education, said the Minister. She said that The Hague would tread carefully on this issue because of its sensitive nature. “It is a very delicate issue. We have to deal with this in a careful, considerate way.”
The Minister explained that the Dutch organisation that promotes emancipation of sexual diversity, the COC, had drawn up a plan together with local organisations on the islands.
The issue of education about homosexuality was brought forward by Member of Parliament André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party.
Source – The Daily Herald
