Area Representative for Belize Rural South, Hon. Andre Perez, confirmed on February 11th that 172 students at Ocean Academy in Caye Caulker will receive free tuition starting the next fiscal year, aligning the island with national public high school tuition policies. The announcement comes as Ministry of Education officials are expected to visit the island in the coming days to finalize plans for new school facilities.
The tuition coverage addresses previous delays caused by budget constraints and is expected to ease financial pressure on families while improving student retention. Perez also stated that temporary classrooms will soon be installed to meet education standards while construction of a permanent facility progresses. He explained that the temporary structures will be equipped with electricity, water, and bathrooms.
The initiative is expected to fall under the People’s United Party (PUP) government’s Belize Education Upliftment Project (EUP), which supports government-owned and government-aided high schools. The EUP program waives tuition and school fees and has been expanding nationwide, including in San Pedro Town, as part of the government’s efforts to improve access to secondary education.
These measures follow significant setbacks at Ocean Academy, which suspended in-person classes in November 2025 after health inspectors flagged hazards, including severe flooding, mold, and mosquito infestations. Since then, classes have reportedly been held in borrowed spaces such as community centers and other available buildings.
Plans for a new Ocean Academy campus have been discussed for several years. Land for the project was reportedly secured in 2019 under a previous administration. Still, delays continued due to changes in government and funding challenges linked to a Caribbean Development Bank loan supporting the construction of 35 schools nationwide.
Perez said, “Several high schools across the country get free tuition… in this case, it’s about 172 students that they’ll be covering tuition this year,” noting that the move will bring much-needed relief to families. He added that the temporary classrooms must meet proper standards, stating, “It’s not just putting up a building ad hoc; it has to be done the proper way.”
According to Perez, the temporary classrooms will help sustain learning while a permanent high school facility in the Bahia area is expected to break ground by July 2026. The project is expected to provide a more stable learning environment for students and support the growing educational needs of Caye Caulker.
