As Aruba prepares for the official opening of the Ombudsman Bureau on December 1, 2025, the Ombudsman has announced the start of its first official investigation. This marks a historic milestone for the country in strengthening accountability, transparency, and citizens’ rights.
The investigation focuses on how certain schools in Aruba handle student absences and the requirement of medical certificates, including the fees charged for obtaining them. The Ombudsman’s goal is to collect, analyze, and evaluate data to present an official report with recommendations.
Since Ms. Jurima Bryson was sworn in as Aruba’s first Ombudsman in October 2024, her office has been preparing both operationally and substantively for launch. During this period, the Ombudsman received reports indicating that some schools require students to obtain paid medical certificates from private companies to justify absences. In certain cases, students who could not comply with these procedures were denied the chance to retake missed exams, raising concerns about equal access to education.
The Ombudsman emphasized that the office operates as an independent and impartial institution, dedicated to safeguarding the rights of children and youth, as established by the Landsverordening Ombudsman (Aruba Ombudsman Act). The office has the legal authority to investigate such matters and gather relevant data.
To ensure fairness, the Ombudsman will soon distribute surveys to students, parents, caregivers, and school boards. The findings will be analyzed and published, along with recommendations based on international children’s rights treaties and ethical conduct standards issued in April 2025.
The Ombudsman has also informed all relevant authorities and stakeholders about the purpose, scope, and legal foundation of this investigation. School boards are required by law to cooperate fully with the inquiry.
The public will continue to receive updates about the investigation and the official office opening through Ombudsman Aruba’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages.
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