‘Education is everything’

Words of Welcome Delivered by the Rector of FHR on the occasion of

the 2025 Graduation Ceremony

1. A warm welcome to all of you who add luster to this memorable event. Special greetings and congratulations to the 69 master and 85 bachelor graduates who celebrate the successful completion of their studies. This milestone signifies their personal growth and acquired skills and honors the support of their family and friends and the dedication of their teachers.  The deep sense of joy, satisfaction and excitement that we see and feel here tonight illustrate the value of education and the life-changing nature of its successes. It endorses the theme of this ceremony: ‘Education is everything’.  

2. While education is everything its true success is measured by what we give back to the world around us. Against this background the focus of my contribution tonight is less on the importance of education for individual success but more on its significance for society at large. My premise is that an educated population is an essential prerequisite for national prosperity. This is clearly evidenced by the categorization in two groups of countries in the world that have become prosperous. 

The first group is made up of countries that possess large amounts of valuable natural resources. Sitting on large reserves of gold, oil, rich farmland and so on, they have an obvious advantage over those that are not so fortunately endowed. 

The second group is much larger and is composed of countries that have educated their citizens into prosperity. They are the wealthiest in the world and they have reached and maintained that status by having universal pre-college education along with a strong commitment to higher education.

Even the most resource-poor countries of Europe enjoy much higher living standards than many resource-rich countries that do not fully dedicate themselves to educating their young people. It is therefore an established historical fact that economic progress of countries is always predicated upon the creation of a system of high-quality education. Education is the bedrock of a nation’s competitiveness.

3. Suriname belongs in the first group of countries. As far back as memory goes Suriname has been an exploiter of natural resources; before WW II, of rich farmland exploited by slavery and the plantation economy and thereafter of mineral resources in particular gold and bauxite. But in line with other resource-rich countries, Suriname’s economy did not grow in the colonial and post-colonial days, The reason is because exploitation of the resources took place in a colonially embedded extractive mode that benefitted foreign interests and local elite but deprived the wider local society of profits.

However, Suriname is getting another chance.  If the omens are not deceiving us, wealth will in a couple of years flow to the country from the exploitation of offshore oil and gas resources, and the question of general concern is rightly whether we will repeat history or succeed in following a trajectory that truly transforms the country into a wealthy, just and sustainable society. Will we again fall victim to ‘the paradox of plenty’, or will we take a route that creates prosperity for all?

4. Various policy options on how we could distance ourselves from the old development path have recently been suggested. Most of them point in the direction of useful economic opportunities and strict financial disciplines in combination with a call for good governance. They all make sense, but it is striking that no one has, as far as I know, mentioned high quality education as a key success factor. I hope that the Hon. Minister of Education, in his upcoming address, will make up for this. As a modest introduction to his presentation, I take the opportunity to bring up how we in FHR have translated and put in practice the theme of this graduation event ‘Education is Everything’ by identifying and pursuing in our education four national objectives that are necessary for achieving sustainable economic prosperity.

The first objective is enrichment of ‘human being’ through personal growth and empowerment. This objective of education is to be preferred over molding people into just ‘human capital’ and making them exponents of a selfish system. The enrichment objective brought about curricula with not just economic gains but social progress in general, as their scope. Their overall focus is the advancement of society to meet its citizens’ basic needs, create the conditions for a better quality of life, and enable individuals to reach their full potential. Their learning goal includes understanding of areas like social justice and environmental stewardship and fosters a more just, inclusive, and fulfilling environment for everyone.

The second objective is that, in our ambition to grow economically as a nation, we must transform the current dominant extractive social mindset into a mindset with generative and regenerative features. Rather than prioritizing taking resources for immediate profit or gain at the expense of long-term health and sustainability, the transformation is geared at a mindset that also emphasizes production, creation, cultivation and contribution to mutual benefit and long-term well-being.To foster this transformation FHR’s education focusses not on rote learning but on system thinking and learning that prioritizes purpose, innovation and holism. 

The third objective is a prominent place in education for commitment to the public good. It means dedication to the collective well-being and prosperity of society. It requires that individuals prioritize the welfare of the community over personal or narrow interests and make decisions and take actions that are equitable because they benefit the whole. This commitment involves acting as good stewards of public resources, working selflessly, and striving for excellence in public service to enhance the quality of life for the entire population. Education at FHR fosters this commitment by promoting public leadership, strategic thinking and empathy, and cultivating democratic values of respect, tolerance, and solidarity for a global citizenry. 

The fourth objective is prioritization of higher education because it drives innovation and progress. It prepares individuals for evolving workforces, fosters personal development, promotes a more informed and peaceful society and provides jobs that allow citizens a solid middle-class lifestyle. By equipping citizens with critical thinking skills and advanced knowledge, FHR contributes to improvements of society and its institutions and to scientific advancements. It provides pathways for social mobility and higher living standards, benefiting both individuals and the broader community. 

5. I conclude by repeating the essence of my message tonight which is the historical fact that providing society with quality high level education is a conditio sine qua non for any country that wants to grow, irrespective of whether it is blessed with abundant natural resources or not. This implies that ‘Education is everything’ and that without it the country is doomed!

Dear Graduates, you are fortunate to have been prepared by quality higher education so that you can embark today on a trajectory that will reward your efforts, benefit your careers and contribute to the wellbeing of society.

May these joys of higher education be on the horizon for the entire Surinamese youth.

Thank you.

Mr. Dr. Hans Lim A Po
30-08-25