The entire island of Saint Martin is known for upholding a high educational standard. Education is a prominent feature of the culture of Saint Martin, this is reflected by the high literacy rate of the inhabitants on the island. About 99% of the people in St. Maarten that are aged 15 years and above can read and write with a full understanding. Education is highly valued in Saint Martin and is available to all on the island.
Many schools are available in St. Maarten for children and adults. Some of the schools available for children are public primary schools, public high schools, and a school that provides special education for students with disabilities. There are also several religiously affiliated schools on the island that promote the teachings of their respected religion along with the curriculum such as Catholic schools, Seventh Day Adventist schools, Methodist schools, and Protestant schools. There are private primary schools in Saint Martin which on average cost around $1,000 (€881) per month for each student. There are also vocational schools and universities located on the island that are available for adults. Tuition for the universities amounts to around $22,000 (€19,387) per student each semester.
The friendly and hospitable spirit of St. Maarten is reflected among the helpful and dedicated staff of many of the schools on the island. The devotion, love, and care of the teachers and faculty towards the success and education of each student is felt and seen. This is indeed what makes the following schools the best schools on the island of St. Maarten. The best schools in St. Maarten are listed below.
- St. Maarten Academy
- Asha Stevens Elementary School
- Caribbean International Academy (C.I.A)
- Sister Regina Primary School
- Sister Magda Primary School
- Sister Borgia Primary School
- St. Maarten Seventh Day Adventist School
- American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
- Learning Unlimited Preparatory School
- University of Saint Martin
- Helmich Snijders Elementary School
- Methodist Agogic Centre (M.A.C)
- Prins Willem-Alexander School
- Robert Weinum High School
- Higher Institute of Commerce and Digital Marketing (ISSGCN)
- Sister Marie Laurence Primary School
- St. Dominic Primary School
- St. Joseph Primary School
1. St. Maarten Academy
St. Maarten Academy is a secondary school that is located in the town of Cul de Sac, Sint Maarten. St. Maarten Academy was the first secondary school built on the island of St. Martin in 1974. St. Maarten Academy offers quality education to its students and prepares them for college and/or the workforce. The school strives to create an environment where each student feels comfortable, free to learn and develop. All students are encouraged to perform at their highest potential.
At St. Maarten Academy English is the language of instruction. The school has both an academic campus and a vocational campus. St. Maarten academy strives to develop excellence in scholastic achievement, self-discipline, morals, values, social development within their students so that they can be responsible and successful members of society. St. Maarten Academy is a very nurturing environment that is committed to developing the character of each student by instilling civic and social responsibility as well as moral values into the curriculum.
Courses covered in the curriculum at St. Maarten Academy are English language and literature, science, French, Dutch, social studies, philosophy of Life, science, math, economy and society, art, music, information technology, and more. The school also offers college placement for its students. Many of the students go on to colleges in the United States, the United Kingdom, or the University of Saint Martin. The school also helps students with college placement.
The official website of St. Maarten Academy is https://www.stmaartenacademy.net.
2. Asha Stevens Elementary School
Asha Stevens Elementary school is located in Little Bay St. Maarten, this school was founded in 1968 to provide quality education to all its students while teaching them to maintain godly values and beliefs of the protestant religion. This school teaches children from Pre-K through grade 6. The school works hard to develop a true love of learning within their students that will last a lifetime. The motto of the school is based on the following biblical passage “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me”. The mission of the school is to meet the holistic needs of every child enrolled so that they can reach their God-given potential to the fullest.
Asha Stevens Elementary School is in affiliation with the Helmich Snijders Hillside Christian School and has around 650 students enrolled per year between both of the schools. The courses offered at this school are health and physical education, mathematics, language and communication, social and emotional development, philosophy of life, social studies, and more. English is the language of instruction at this school. There is no tuition for Asha Stevens Elementary School, the school is entirely free for students above 3 years old to attend. Students under 3 years old who attend the early childhood school have a tuition of $100 (€88) per month for each student.
The official website of Asha Stevens Elementary school is https://www.ashastevenscampus.net.
3. Caribbean International Academy (C.I.A)
The Caribbean International Academy was founded in 2003 and is located in the lowlands of Dutch Sint Maarten. This is a private school that teaches students from kindergarten to grade 12. This is a very culturally diverse school that celebrates the differences and cultures within the students and faculty. The school prides itself on being very multicultural and representing over 15 different nationalities. One of the missions of the Caribbean International Academy is to bring awareness to the students about their civic duty. Community involvement is one of the primary lessons taught at this school.
The Caribbean International Academy focuses on the personal growth, scholastic development, and ethical enrichment of each student. The school provides a nurturing, family-like environment. The students at CIA are known to be confident, responsible, compassionate, independent, enthusiastic about learning, and inquisitive. About 90% of the students go on to attend colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and Europe after graduation. There is an average of 200 students enrolled in the school throughout each school year. The staff has over 30 members who are expertly trained to provide quality education to students of all ages.
The official website of the Caribbean International Academy is https://ciaschool.com.
4. Sister Regina Primary School
Sister Regina Primary School is a catholic school that is located in Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten. This school has been educating students in Sint Maarten for over 50 years. This school teaches from kindergarten to grade 6 and Dutch is the main language of instruction. Sister Regina Primary is dedicated to helping each student become well-rounded and reach their fullest potential by teaching them the principles and teachings of the Catholic religion along with the academic curriculum.
Sister Regina Primary School is in affiliation with 6 other Catholic schools on the island. Sister Regina Primary School is personally devoted to the educational enrichment, creativity, and success of each student. This can be seen by the wide array of courses that the school offers such as science labs, library, woodworking classes, cooking classes, art classes, and drama classes. This school also values learning through experience and educating children through play, this can be seen by the hands-on agricultural and artistic activities that are regularly planned for the students.
Sister Regina Primary School has a very pleasant, helpful, and friendly staff that goes the extra mile to make sure the needs of their students are taken care of. There is an average of 200 students enrolled in the school during each school year. The tuition for the school is 300 NAF ($167, €146) per year.
The official website of Sister Regina Primary School is https://skos-sxm.org/school/sr-regina-primary.
5. Sister Magda Primary School
Sister Magda Primary School is located in Philipsburg St. Maarten. This school teaches from kindergarten to grade 6 and Dutch is the main language of instruction. Sister Magda Primary School was founded in 1978 and is in affiliation with 6 other Catholic schools on the island. The teachings and principles of the catholic church are taught in conjunction with the secular curriculum.
This school is unique in Saint Martin because it is one of the few schools where the instruction is in Dutch. Sister Magda Primary school aims to encourage independence among the students. The school focuses on each child rather than just the subject matter. Students are challenged to discover and investigate things and take ownership of their development.
The courses taught at Sister Magda Primary school are philosophy of life, Dutch language & communication, English language & communication, mathematics, penmanship, social studies, science, and traffic. There is an average of a little under 300 students enrolled in the school during each school year. The tuition for the school is 300 NAF ($167, €146) per year.
The official website of Sister Magda Primary School is https://skos-sxm.org/school/sr-magda-primary.
6. Sister Borgia Elementary School
Sister Borgia Elementary School is a Catholic primary school that is located in the center of Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. This school teaches children from the grades of kindergarten to 6th grade. The school was founded in 1978 and is affiliated with other catholic schools on the island such as Sr. Regina Primary school, St. Dominic High school, and more. Sister Borgia Elementary School is known for the cultural diversity and inclusivity among the students and staff at the school. The school is indeed a melting pot of cultures.
The staff at Sister Borgia Elementary school have a very warm and welcoming spirit that represents the friendly nature of St. Maarten well. The teachers have a reputation for helping each student to reach their highest scholastic potential to prepare them for high school and even life beyond that. The helpful and attentive staff promote a very healthy and vivid learning experience for the children by providing courses such as philosophy, technology, social studies, cultural and artistic development and so much more. The school is also heavily involved in sports and encourages each student to reach their physical and athletic ability.
Sister Borgia Elementary school is a multilingual school. However, Dutch is the main language of instruction. Students here are guaranteed to become proficient in the Dutch language. The average number of students at the school throughout the year is around 200. And the yearly tuition or parental contribution is 300 NAF (€146, $166) per student.
The official website of Sister Borgia Elementary School is https://skos-sxm.org/school/sr-borgia-elementary.
7. St. Maarten Seventh Day Adventist School
The St. Maarten Seventh Day Adventist School is located in Phillipsburg, Sint Maarten. This school teaches children from ages 4 to 12. The mission of the St. Maarten Seventh Day Adventist School is to ensure that their students attain the best possible educational development of their mental, spiritual, physical, and social capacities. The school teaches these skills in harmony with the beliefs of the Seventh Day Adventist philosophy.
At St. Maarten Seventh Day Adventist School the students are encouraged to strive for excellence at each stage of their educational development. The staff is trained to teach the children to develop skills such as discipline and critical thinking so that they can become responsible members of society. St. Maarten Seventh Day Adventist School also works to instill a true love of nature, literature, art, and music in the students. The school also focuses on community involvement and teaches its students to have a big part in the local community. The school teaches courses such as math, science, English, Dutch, physical education, art, music, and more.
The official website of St. Maarten Seventh Day Adventist School is https://www.sxmsda.com.
8. American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
The American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) is a private medical school located in Cupecoy, Sint Maarten. The School was founded by the American educator Dr. Paul Tien in 1978 and was originally located on the island of Montserrat. The university was moved to St. Maarten in May of 1998 where its main campus is located, other campuses for the University are located in Iselin, New Jersey, USA, and Miramar, Florida USA.
The American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine’s campus consists of teaching and learning facilities such as laboratories, classrooms, a microbiology lab, an anatomy lab, and a medical library. The school is known to offer comprehensive medical training for all medical students enrolled in their program to be able to practice medicine internationally. The students at the school undergo 5 semesters of study of medical sciences and then 4.5 semesters of training in clinical sciences. After completing these courses, the students can choose between teaching hospitals in the United States or the United Kingdom. The residency attainment rate for AUC graduates in 2020 was 92%. Tuition for the school is from $23,000 to $26,000 (euros) per semester.
The official website of the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine is https://med.aucmed.edu.
9. Learning Unlimited Preparatory School
The Learning Unlimited Preparatory School is located in Cay Hill, Sint Maarten. This is a private school that was opened in 1990 in St. Maarten that teaches Pre-K through grade 12. The school’s mission is to teach all of the students global awareness and connectivity and to develop critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills within the students.
The Learning Unlimited Preparatory encourages each student to develop skill