Minister of Education, Science and Culture Dirk Currie: ‘Preparation for 2028 begins in education’
Over the next two years, Suriname must do whatever it takes to prepare young people for the start of offshore oil production in 2028. According to Minister of Education, Science and Culture Dirk Currie, that preparation does not begin only when the first oil is extracted, but already now in education. He said this on Friday during the final day of the Suriname Energy, Oil & Gas Summit (SEOGS) 2026, which drew many students and young people to Roeli’s Event Venue. The final day of SEOGS 2026 was open to the general public and focused on sustainability, the environment, innovation, and a major career fair. With the Youth, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fair, students, young professionals, and aspiring entrepreneurs had the opportunity to get acquainted with companies and career opportunities within the rapidly growing energy sector.
Minister Currie describes the conclusion of the conference as successful. “There was a very good turnout. It is important that I saw many students today. There is great interest among young people in seeing what the prospects are with the entrepreneurs present here and what opportunities lie ahead for themselves.”
According to the minister, the involvement of the business community in education is crucial. He points out that Staatsolie has been investing in technical training for quite some time, including at the Natural Sciences Institute (NATIN). In addition, the government, Staatsolie, and TotalEnergies, together with three ministries, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) this week to further strengthen vocational education.
The business community must also fulfill its role, because everyone who is trained eventually ends up in the business world. They therefore have an interest in ensuring that the training programs meet quality standards. Against that background, their role within education is very important.”
The minister acknowledges that Suriname faces a major challenge in training sufficient qualified personnel for the growing oil and gas sector. According to him, this should not only focus on technical professions, but also on other sectors that can benefit from economic development. “We must do everything in our power to give our young people the opportunity to develop. In doing so, rigidity in education must disappear, because we also need to stimulate the creative industry. That, too, is an important part of local content. Entertainment, music, dance, and creative expression will become increasingly important as more people settle here.”
According to Currie, the years leading up to 2028 must be utilized intensively to prepare Suriname for the revenues from the oil industry. According to him, this involves not only educating people but also sound economic policy.
“We must be well prepared for the moment the funds enter the country. We must carefully consider how we handle the money that ends up in the Savings and Stabilization Fund, because it is important what we invest in and how we make our economy more resilient.”
The minister emphasizes that the foundation for that future is laid in education. According to him, young people must not only acquire professional knowledge but also develop skills that enable them to adapt to a changing labor market. “We must ensure that young people are aware of the culture we want to create. Which competencies are important for being successful in the future? Through education, we must encourage young people to make themselves resilient and to be successful in the future.”
The minister also advocates for greater cooperation between Surinamese companies so that they can compete internationally. According to him, the relatively small domestic market makes it necessary to eventually also look abroad.
He concludes with a call to look beyond oil revenues alone.
“Even more important is the question of how we ensure that, if oil and gas run out in perhaps fifty years, there are sufficient other sectors on which our economy can continue to operate.”