School attendance is mandatory for children between 5 and 16 years old. Students go to elementary school for a six-year period and then attend one of the different kind of junior high schools devoted to either professional or academic education.Legislative and educational system on these islands is similar to the one in force in Holland. Literacy on the Netherlands Antilles is 98%, 98% among men and 99% in women.The Netherlands Antilles University (founded in 1970) is in Willemstad. The islands’ inhabitants are entitled to benefit from Holland’s educational system.As far as educational level is concerned, the population in Curaçao averages 24 years old and has finished elementary-school level. 39% of the population has concluded secondary studies, 18% of the people are bachelors and 10% have finished technical or college education. According to the 1992 census, just 2% of the population in Curaçao over 24 years of age didn’t conclude elementary education.A much higher percentage of women finished elementary-school education, but more men graduated from college. In all, men have higher educational level than women, and the same ratio holds true for youngsters compared to adult and elder people. Educational gap between men and women is wider as they grow older.
