NPS member and policy adviser Gerda King advocates a return to the old education system. According to her, bottlenecks within the current progression system are causing problems for pupils, parents and teachers. She believes Suriname must first put basic facilities in order before implementing further education reforms.
King points, among other things, to the shortage of classrooms and teachers, and problems accommodating pupils within the new education structure. Sufficient schools, teachers and proper teaching materials should take priority, she says.
“Not because we are against reform, but because our education system must be workable, clear and feasible,” King states.
According to her, the old education system offered more clarity and structure. At the same time, she wants to retain and improve the good elements of the current system. “Our children are entitled to good education. They must not become the victims of a system that has been insufficiently prepared,” King said.
King stresses that her membership of the Nationale Partij Suriname does not prevent her from criticising government policy. She considers identifying shortcomings to be part of her role as a policy adviser.
“I do not tell the government what it wants to hear. As a policy adviser, you must be able to provide critical guidance and indicate what needs to be different or better,” she says.
King says she has been a member of the NPS for twelve years. In the elections of 25 May 2025, she was sixteenth on the party’s candidate list for De Nationale Assemblée (Suriname’s parliament). She was not elected.
According to King, her critical position does not mean she is against her party or against education reform. She says she wants to identify problems and make proposals in the interest of society. For education, this means that the basics must first be put in order.
“Back to a clear system. Back to stability. Back to education that works for our children.”
