Infrastructure and Connectivity: Importance for the Development of Modernized and Inclusive Education
Oranjestad — Minister of Education and Innovation Gerlien Croes and Minister Arthur Dowers (in charge of telecommunications ad interim), were at SETAR N.V. for the official announcement that schools on our island will now be connected to the fiber optic network (Fiber Optic).
It is a major achievement and a step that supports a modern and inclusive educational system.
A modern educational system cannot exist without a firm technological base. Minister of Education and Innovation Gerlien Croes focuses on the urgent need for connectivity infrastructure to raise the quality and inclusiveness in Aruban education.
The school connectivity project on fiber began in 2022, under the leadership of Minister Geoffrey Wever, as Minister of Economic Affairs, Communications, and Sustainable Development at the time. Minister Croes emphasizes that this type of project deserves support and continuity precisely because it serves the interests of our people and our future generation.
Connectivity is no longer a luxury but an educational necessity. A school with a reliable and fast network can train its students to participate in a digital, competitive, and dynamic world. Thanks to a collective thinking of the public-private partnership between the Government of Aruba and SETAR N.V., this is being achieved," said Minister Croes.
Thanks to a collaboration with SETAR, 83 schools are now connected on fiber, with access to high-speed internet and a preferential price. The project, with a total investment of more than 1 million florins, reflects a real commitment to pushing educational and digital progress, interactive content development, and ongoing teacher training. In addition to access to academic resources, the fiber connection will open the door to development in digitalization and empower both students and educators to work with technology efficiently and safely.
The Ministry of Education and Innovation continues to work for a resilient educational system in Aruba, where no child is left behind and innovation serves as a tool of equality and progress.