WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao has introduced a renewed swimming curriculum designed to teach children how to swim in a modern, structured and island-appropriate way. The program was developed by Fundashon Desaroyo Deportivo Kòrsou and places strong emphasis on water safety, self-reliance and enjoyment in the water.
According to the explanation accompanying the curriculum, the swimmer is central to the learning process. Lessons are built around a playful and child-centered teaching approach, allowing children to learn at their own pace. The program avoids the use of flotation devices, instead relying on supportive tools that help children gain confidence in their own abilities and in the natural resistance of water.
The curriculum is divided into three distinct phases. In the first phase, titled Zwemveilig and Zwemvaardig, children learn basic skills such as floating, orientation in the water and multiple swimming strokes. This phase also includes clothing swimming and survival elements. The second phase introduces children to different aquatic sports, including water polo and lifesaving swimming. In the third phase, the focus shifts to safe swimming in the sea, with specific attention to currents and wave conditions.
The preferred starting age for the program is around five years old, although younger children may be admitted if their development allows. Lessons are structured to accommodate individual differences between children, and parents are actively involved through regular updates on progress.
With the introduction of the new curriculum, FDDK aims to strengthen water safety on an island where the sea and recreational swimming play an important role in daily life. At the same time, the learning pathway aligns with international standards and provides a foundation for participation in sports and recreational activities, while helping to reduce the risk of drowning incidents.