🧑🏾‍🏫The Education sector continues to go through many struggles

while Parliamentary members salaries will double for incoming members.

De Brief
March 24, 2025

The government will provide SRD 800 per month to students aged 18 and older, with over 3,500 higher education students already registered, but the start date of payment remains unclear though President Santokhi has aimed to distribute the payments by the end of this month.
The government has expanded social benefits—senior citizens will receive an extra SRD 500, people with disabilities will now get SRD 2,750, and more than 6,000 additional people have been added to the SRD 1,800 purchasing power support program also created by the government.
Minister Henry Ori confirmed that while the allowance is a good start, it is below the SRD 2,500 average school expenses. A key challenge is that many students do not have bank accounts.
The National Development Bank, the NOB is a key partner in the initiative, and offers additional financial support, including study financing up to SRD 2,000 per month, rent assistance for students from remote districts, and loans for laptops and materials.
The NOB provides 50% coverage of enrollment fees and 25% of tuition for bachelor’s students, while some secondary schools receive 75% fee coverage.
The allowance targets students aged 18 and older and aims to prevent dropouts and cover food, transportation, and study costs.
However, some concerns remain about eligibility criteria, including school selection, age restrictions, working students, and how students would be paid.

Many teachers are leaving for other sectors or emigrating, increasing the workload for those who remain, however, simultaneously, Education Minister Henry Ori states there will be no salary increase, despite teachers having to cover extra subjects. This contrasts with the allowances for students.
Many teachers and school leaders are running for office and are taking leave for campaign activities, which will worsen the shortage, affecting students' learning outcomes. Teachers are forced to teach multiple subjects, but Ori insists they must follow employer directives without demanding additional pay.
The absence of teachers during critical academic periods, like final exams, will create serious disruptions in the education system.

The National Assembly

Incoming Assembly members will receive over SRD 130,000 gross per month, including various allowances, doubling the current salary.
An Assembly member's base salary rises from SRD 30,874 to SRD 66,485. Additional allowances include transport (SRD 26,594), representation (SRD 13,297), housing (SRD 13,297), telecommunications (SRD 4,986), and security (SRD 6,648).
Members and their families will receive full healthcare, dental, and vision care in Suriname, with overseas treatment covered if the treatment is unavailable locally.
In addition to this, members can no longer hold civil service or parastatal jobs, as well as will not be able to provide services to the state. The retirement age is now 60, and former members will no longer receive extended salary payments after leaving office.
The opposition, NDP, criticized the over 200% salary hike, arguing it was unfair amid low public sector wage increases (15%) and ongoing economic struggles. The law passed with 28 votes in favor, and 12 against, with opposition members accusing lawmakers of enriching themselves.

Finabank Suriname

With the rise of Suriname’s Oil & Gas industry, Finabank is offering soft loans and training to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in other sectors to help them remain sustainable and competitive.
Finabank has secured a $15 million loan agreement with IDB Invest to support this initiative. Over 200 businesses have already applied for training through the Finabank Small Business Academy.
The loans have focused on strengthening SMEs as the backbone of the economy. Finabank CEO Eblein Frangie stressed the need to support sustainable industries like tourism, agriculture, and services, as natural resources are finite.
Many SMEs struggle to access capital due to a lack of financial knowledge or business plans. However, the Finabank Small Business Academy will help entrepreneurs improve their business planning and financial skills.
Finabank expected 20-30 businesses to enroll in its academy but received around 200 applications from small and startup businesses eager to develop their skills, marketing knowledge, and sustainability practices.

Minister Ramdin

Albert Ramdin's term as Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS) will begin on May 26. Until then, he remains Suriname's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation.
His campaign for the position cost SRD 4.2 million, not the SRD 100 million reported by some, and there was no U.S. influence on the election. Ramdin received support from 30 out of 32 member states, making it the first time a Caribbean leader has held the OAS top position.
Ramdin has emphasized that the U.S. remained neutral throughout the process, and Suriname's campaign was largely based on in-house efforts rather than expensive international campaigns. He plans to address major issues like division in the Western Hemisphere, the climate crisis, and crises in Haiti and Venezuela.
The transition period will be shortened to 2 months instead of the usual 3 months due to Ramdin's prior experience. He will remain as a minister until the end of May and will cast his vote in Suriname on May 25 before starting his new role the next day.