Minister L. wants to close all medical schools in Netherlands Antilles

[caribdocky]

Minister of Education of the Netherlands Antilles, Mrs. O. L., recently stated in a local newspaper /Antilliaans Dagblad/ that she doesn’t recognize any medical schools in the Netherlands Antilles anymore. This applies to AUC, Saba, SJSM, CMU, Xavier, SMU and St. Eustatius.

ECFMG has already started an investigation on it because the recognition is required for the schools to be listed in IMED and WHO /Avicenna/. This may lead to all the diplomas not being valid like it has already happened to Xavier Medical School, Bonaire. The school has already put a lawsuit against the Ministry, so did St. Martinus.

That’s a huge issue that requires immediate attention of the schools' administrations because otherwise students will end up with a degree that’s not recognized. We have invested lots of time and money in the study and I hope that the decision of one minister won’t affect our lives; otherwise we should prepare to transfer out.


Contact Information:
Ministry of Education and Culture
Schouwburgweg 24 (APNA gebouw)
Curaçao, Nederlandse Antillen

Tel: +(5999) 434-3711
Fax: +(5999) 465-4471

E-mail: minoc@gov.an
Website: Home - Ministerie van Onderwijs en Cultuur (http://www.minoc.an)

[tegraphile]

Yes, this is a pretty scary proposition. Is there any more information on the topic that we can look at?

[Medical Moose]

First of all, before we all get too excited about this matter... notice that CaribDocky is in Aruba. This matter doesn't affect AUC or the other big schools for that matter. I found the newspaper article online and will post it below. You'll notice that it says the Antillean government no longer recognizes medical schools after 2006.


FORGED ACCREDITATION FOR CMU

WILLEMSTAD - Minister of Education O L (PAR) will contact the Attorney General because of a forged letter that states that the Caribbean Medical University (CMU) would be recoignized by the Antillean government. Minister Leeflang holds that medical schools can not be recognized by the Antillean government.
The letter was sent on September 15 to C B , senior research analyst at IMED. The letter contains numerous mistakes. Apparently, it would have been sent by the Antillean government, but the Antillean coat of arms [in the letter] contains six instead of five starlets. At the same time, the author of the letter states that it would have been sent by "the government of Curacao". The signature at the bottom of the letter is illegible, moreover, contrary to custom, the name of the signatory is not mentioned underneath the signature. Instead, the letter is signed by "The Department of Education of the Netherlands Antilles".
During the weekly government press conference, minister L. went ballistic about the brutality of the forgers.
"The Antillean government can not recognize medical schools. They are free to set up shop here, since we have freedom of education. The only thing that is required is a business licence. They are outside Antillean educational legislature and are not recognized. It is their own responsibility to secure recognition, be it through an US based or European based university or through other organisations."
The minister emphasizes that medical schools no longer get recognition since 2006, when she took office. From that time on, she and her staff are continuously pressurized by lobbyists and representatives of the medical schools to grant recognition. "But that is simply impossible. They are not part of our system of education. Based on our legislation, there's no way that we can recognize them. Apparently, this is not to the liking of some people, and the decision was taken to forge official documents."
L announces a thorough review of the case and also announces that she will contact the Attorney General.

[azskeptic]

Perhaps there is some article about NVAO in Holland's recent trip through the region?

Is C.'s concern about the 2006 article or is there something else new?

[azskeptic]

Leeflang will not concede towards CMU and SMU (http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/printer_63298.php)

Last attempt by medical universities (http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/printer_63245.php)

[Tipton]

CMU is still operating?!?!? wow...scary

[MaxPower311]

The second link above says there are 8 schools on St. Maarten?

[rokshana]

The second link above says there are 8 schools on St. Maarten?

on St Kitts, not St Maarten.

[MaxPower311]

"The small island state southeast of St. Maarten has as much as eight registered medical universities"

That's from the 2nd..misprint maybe?

[caribdocky]

First of all, before we all get too excited about this matter... notice that CaribDocky is in Aruba. This matter doesn't affect AUC or the other big schools for that matter. I found the newspaper article online and will post it below. You'll notice that it says the Antillean government no longer recognizes medical schools after 2006.

It applies to all 7 medical schools in N.A.!!! She stoped recognizing them after 2006 once she took her office. Otherwise how come SMU has to sue the Minister for not recognizing them? SMU was established in 2003. If you dont believe, contact the ministry to find out for yourself.

[rokshana]

"The small island state southeast of St. Maarten has as much as eight registered medical universities"

That's from the 2nd..misprint maybe?

St Kitts IS SOUTHEAST of SXM...SXM just has AUC...

[rokshana]

It applies to all 7 medical schools in N.A.!!! She stoped recognizing them after 2006 once she took her office. Otherwise how come SMU has to sue the Minister for not recognizing them? SMU was established in 2003. If you dont believe, contact the ministry to find out for yourself.


GOOD GRIEF !!! READ THE ARTICLE !!! not St Matthews!!! its St Martinus University..SMU (though really shouldn't be using the initals SMU i guess)

and the article states that the minister stopped recognizing schools created after 2006....

[MaxPower311]

OKAY NO NEED TO SCREAM FROM THE MOUNTAINTOPS...does it really matter that much to you to correct people who were just trying to clarify something they THOUGHT they misread? My god therapy people

[rokshana]

OKAY NO NEED TO SCREAM FROM THE MOUNTAINTOPS...does it really matter that much to you to correct people who were just trying to clarify something they THOUGHT they misread? My god therapy people

yes as a matter of fact it does bother me to no end when someone is trying to freak people out with blatantly incorrect information...how sloppy and unobservant do you have to be to something like that...and when the mistake is pointed out, STILL not get it...

if i saw that attitude in a 3rd or 4th year rotating on my team...that would be "performing below expectations"...

[Dr. Jay]

how does that affect SABA if it received positive assessment from NVAO?

[Docs2B]

Hi there

This is a disturbing thread as to the news it contains and I wish luck to all the students there and hope that this gets resolved.

I am a student a Xavier University, Aruba. Since the original link has the name XAVIER I called my school without reading it completely, not thinking straight.

WoW, ... it says Netherland Antilles and I am at Xavier Aruba not Xavier Bonaire.

I was given the clarification by the XUSOM Administrator and I will like to write the same here for all others out there that ...

XAVIER BOANIRE is in Netharland Antilles and NOT XAVIER ARUBA which is a seperate school NOT affiliated with Xavier Bonaire and has a seperate charter and accreditation.

Whuf !$%^

To all others out there my sincere best wishes.

[caribdocky]

There is a first victim, St. Martinus:
St Martinus IMED Record (https://imed.faimer.org/details.asp?country=665&school=&currpage=1&cname=NETHERLANDS+ANTILLES&city=&region=CA&rname=Central+America%2FCaribbean&mcode=665040&psize=25)

"The government of the Netherlands Antilles has advised FAIMER by letter dated October 6, 2009 that St. Martinus University is not recognized by the Netherlands Antilles government. Therefore, the 'graduation years' for St. Martinus University Faculty of Medicine are now 2003-2009. Students who claim to be enrolled in and graduates of the school who graduate on or after October 6, 2009 are not eligible to be registered by ECFMG for, or to take, USMLE examinations, nor would they be eligible for ECFMG Certification."

Thats so scary. Who is next? St. James? Xavier? Saba or maybe AUC?

[caribdocky]

There is a first victim, St. Martinus:
St Martinus IMED Record (https://imed.faimer.org/details.asp?country=665&school=&currpage=1&cname=NETHERLANDS+ANTILLES&city=&region=CA&rname=Central+America%2FCaribbean&mcode=665040&psize=25)

"The government of the Netherlands Antilles has advised FAIMER by letter dated October 6, 2009 that St. Martinus University is not recognized by the Netherlands Antilles government. Therefore, the 'graduation years' for St. Martinus University Faculty of Medicine are now 2003-2009. Students who claim to be enrolled in and graduates of the school who graduate on or after October 6, 2009 are not eligible to be registered by ECFMG for, or to take, USMLE examinations, nor would they be eligible for ECFMG Certification."

Thats so scary. Who is next? St. James? Xavier? Saba or maybe AUC?

[caribdocky]

There is a first victim, St. Martinus:
St Martinus IMED Record (https://imed.faimer.org/details.asp?country=665&school=&currpage=1&cname=NETHERLANDS+ANTILLES&city=&region=CA&rname=Central+America%2FCaribbean&mcode=665040&psize=25)

"The government of the Netherlands Antilles has advised FAIMER by letter dated October 6, 2009 that St. Martinus University is not recognized by the Netherlands Antilles government. Therefore, the 'graduation years' for St. Martinus University Faculty of Medicine are now 2003-2009. Students who claim to be enrolled in and graduates of the school who graduate on or after October 6, 2009 are not eligible to be registered by ECFMG for, or to take, USMLE examinations, nor would they be eligible for ECFMG Certification."

Thats so scary. Who is next? St. James? Xavier? Saba or maybe AUC?

[caribdocky]

There is a first victim, St. Martinus:
St Martinus IMED Record (https://imed.faimer.org/details.asp?country=665&school=&currpage=1&cname=NETHERLANDS+ANTILLES&city=&region=CA&rname=Central+America%2FCaribbean&mcode=665040&psize=25)

"The government of the Netherlands Antilles has advised FAIMER by letter dated October 6, 2009 that St. Martinus University is not recognized by the Netherlands Antilles government. Therefore, the 'graduation years' for St. Martinus University Faculty of Medicine are now 2003-2009. Students who claim to be enrolled in and graduates of the school who graduate on or after October 6, 2009 are not eligible to be registered by ECFMG for, or to take, USMLE examinations, nor would they be eligible for ECFMG Certification."

Thats so scary. Who is next? St. James? Xavier? Saba or maybe AUC?

[Xavier Bonaire Official]

All of this information is false in regards to the schools closing down in the Netherlands Antilles. I can speak on behalf of Xavier University School of Medicine in Bonaire, and the administration has met with the acting Governor on the island, the Commissioner of Education, and all of the relevent officals in regards to our charter, and they have all told us we are in good terms with the island of Bonaire and that our status as a medical school is secure.

[caribdocky]

All of this information is false in regards to the schools closing down in the Netherlands Antilles. I can speak on behalf of Xavier University School of Medicine in Bonaire, and the administration has met with the acting Governor on the island, the Commissioner of Education, and all of the relevent officals in regards to our charter, and they have all told us we are in good terms with the island of Bonaire and that our status as a medical school is secure.

I think that especially you as a school official should know that your charter as well as other school's charters were issued not by the Governor of Bonaire or Bonaire Commissioner of Education but the Minister of Education of the Netherlands Antilles, who has the only authority. Also your IMED listing is strictly dependent on the Minister of the Netherlands Antilles, not the Governor of Bonaire or Bonaire Commissioner. You may contact ECFMG to confirm that, or contact the Ministry if you don't believe, therefor just wait and see how quickly the med schools disappear from IMED and WHO as unrecognized schools like St. Martinus.