Senior officials from Belize’s Ministry of Education met with Caye Caulker stakeholders on February 20, 2026, to advance plans for the construction of a new pre-primary facility and a government high school on the island.
Key attendees included Chief Executive Officer Dian Maheia, Deputy Chief Education Officer Terri Langford, District Education Officer Sebastian Cab, Director of Policy Ricardo Gideon, Senior Project Coordinator Ingrid Acosta, Project Officer Shakira Sharp, and Area Representative Honourable Andre Perez. Representatives from the Caye Caulker Village Council and the Ocean Academy Board of Governors also participated in the discussions, which fall under the Belize Education Sector Reform Program II.
The meeting focused on establishing project timelines and coordinating the temporary relocation of Ocean Academy students during construction. The works are expected to last between 12 and 13 months. Officials emphasized the importance of ensuring that students continue to receive uninterrupted education in safe and suitable learning environments throughout the transition period.
Among the options discussed was installing temporary structures at the nearby Catholic primary school to minimize disruption. The discussions followed concerns raised during recent parent-teacher meetings, prompting a Ministry site visit and collaborative planning efforts focused on student well-being.
Before this engagement, Ocean Academy had been facing facility challenges that had raised concerns among parents and teachers. Last week, Area Representative Perez met with community members, who reportedly raised approximately BZD 100,000 to address urgent temporary repairs. However, the Ministry advised against short-term investments that may not align with the broader infrastructure plan. The current discussions build on ongoing national reforms aimed at strengthening and modernizing the island’s education infrastructure.
Perez described the meeting as productive. “True to our promise… they were very concerned about the issues affecting the Ocean Academy. So we had the team from the Ministry of Education do a site visit and actually make all the plans,” he said. He added that once completed, the new high school will operate as a public secondary institution.
The proposed developments are expected to significantly improve learning conditions for students in Caye Caulker. With construction anticipated to begin soon, temporary arrangements will be put in place to sustain classes while the Ministry continues working with community stakeholders toward completion of the new facilities, projected by late 2027.
While Caye Caulker advances plans for a government high school, San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye still lacks a fully government-operated secondary school. Despite the island’s rapid population growth and expanding economy, families continue to rely primarily on government-aided or private institutions for secondary education. Although land has previously been identified and reportedly secured for a future government school in San Pedro, no recent updates or concrete development timelines have been publicly shared. The lack of visible progress has remained a concern for residents, particularly as enrollment pressures increase and the cost of education continues to affect many families. Stakeholders have repeatedly emphasized the need for equitable investment to ensure that Ambergris Caye benefits from the same public secondary education expansion being implemented elsewhere in the country.
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