Overview of the General Education System

The education system in Aruba can be traced back to indigenous people from the Arawak tribe, the Caquetios Indians. Back then, education was informal where passing down knowledge is through oral traditions and practical skills. When European colonizers arrived, significant changes happened to Aruba’s education system. The arrival of Spanish in 1499 introduced Christianity and early forms of literacy through religious teachings. That changed when the Dutch took control of the country in 1636, shaping the education system and maintaining their rule over the island for nearly 200 years. During this period, two schools were operating in the country and religious institutions played a key role: Protestant public schools provided instruction in Dutch, while Roman Catholic schools offered education in Spanish. Later on, nuns arrived in the late 1800s and taught there until 1909. As the 20th century unfolded, education started to develop, and parish schools were granted sufficient funding and formal recognition and in 1999, the government implemented a policy making education compulsory, ensuring that all children had access to formal schooling.

Due to the impact of foreign cultures, Aruba has several different languages spoken by its people. These include Dutch and Papiamento as their official languages. Dutch is the main language of instruction in Aruba’s schools, following the Dutch education model and also the official language for government and legal affairs. Spanish and English are also commonly used throughout the country, particularly in business environments, because of Aruba's close relationship to Latin America and its tourism-driven economy.

In Aruba, The Ministry of Education, Science and Sustainable Development (Ministerie van Onderwijs, Wetenschap en Duurzame Ontwikkeling (MinOWDO) is the governing body responsible for overseeing education policies, scientific research, and sustainable development initiatives while its executive branch, The Department of Education of Aruba (Departamento di enseñanza Aruba), manages the day-to-day operations of the education system.

Aruba’s educational system is modeled after the Dutch system and consists of Primary Education, General Secondary Education, Vocational Education and Higher Education. Primary education in the country is divided into three categories: pre-school, primary school and special education. Pre-school caters children ages 4 to 6 years old while primary school is for children 6 to 12 years old. Aruba also places significant importance on special education, ensuring that students with special needs receive tailored support to thrive academically and socially. Students ages 4 to 16 are required to attend school, with free access to primary and secondary education. Students transitioning from primary to secondary education are determined based on school’s recommendation, academic performance, or examinations to verify their readiness for a particular secondary education track.

Secondary education in Aruba is classified into vocational/professional, general, and pre-university. The typical route is MAVO (Middelbaar Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs ) which lasts 4 years, the first 2 years is called Ciclo Básico MAVO and the following 2 years are called Ciclo Avansa MAVO. Students receive the Diploma Middelbaar Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs, which allows them to progress vocational education in the secondary part of the education system.

The HAVO (Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs) is a five-year general education course, which can lead to higher professional education or pre-university education. It begins with two years of junior high school (Ciclo Bàsico HAVO/VWO) and lasts for three (Ciclo Avansa HAVO). Those who pass receive the Diploma Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs, which allows to proceed to higher professional education.

The academic track will be VWO (Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs), which is Aruba’s pre-university track. Together it covers six years: shared a two-year lower secondary cycle (Ciclo Básico HAVO/VWO) and a four-year upper cycle (Ciclo Avansa VWO). Graduates receive the Diploma Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (Diploma VWO), capable of granting them access to research-oriented university studies as well as higher professional education.

Aruba has two training programs for the vocational system. EPB or Basic Professional Education for students 12–18 years. This continues for 4 years while offering lower technical and vocational education to students. EPI, in contrast, educates students more than 16 years of age, with training programs between three and four years, addressing secondary vocational training.

The government supports the Instituto Pedagogico Arubano (IPA) and the University of Aruba (UA). Instituto Pedagogico Arubano (IPA) provides a Bachelor's degree program for teachers in primary and secondary education. On the other hand, University of Aruba extends its programs to Law, Accounting, Hospitality & Tourism and Art & Sciences. These programs result in a bachelor's degree and a master's degree.