Education

The Alaia Belize Hotel in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye has unveiled a community initiative called ‘Waves of Change Towards a Better Belize’ aimed at creating a positive impact on the island community. The program’s first activity included a motivational activity at the San Pedro High School (SPHS) in collaboration with two media personalities from the well-known United States National Basketball Association, Victoria Jacobi, and Ashley Nicole Moss.

The San Pedro community and other generous donors came together on Friday, October 27th, to support a fundraiser for the reconstruction of parts of the main building of the San Pedro High School (SPHS). The school administration stated they need $350,000 to complete all necessary repairs in their main building. A telethon held throughout Friday saw donations toward this worthy cause from individuals and stakeholders. One of those stakeholders was Caye International Bank (CIB), who not only made a monetary donation but has created a GoFundMe page to raise funds on behalf of SPHS at https://gofund.me/bbc1c852. At the end of the day, a total of $210,346 was raised in the telethon, a satisfactory amount that will aid in the ongoing works at the school.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology (MoECST) has commenced the distribution of 5,000 Chromebooks donated by the Republic of China (Taiwan). These devices were pledged in April during the State Visit of H.E. Tsai Ing-Wen, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and were recently delivered to the MoECST.

During the Cabinet Meeting on September 26, 2023, Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño was presented the Belize@42 Creative Youth Ideas Summit Outcomes Document by Hon. Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Technology.

On September 25, 2023, the Second Road Safety Project, under the Ministry of Economic Development (MED), handed over 400 hundred Road Safety Toolkits to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology (MoECST). Present at the handing over were Dr. Osmond Martinez, CEO for the MED; Mrs. Dian Maheia, CEO for the MoECST; and Mr. Zane Castillo, Project Manager for the Second Road Safety Project.

The new school year has started, and thousands of students are returning to classes nationwide. The summer break that sees students preparing to return to another school cycle also includes the participation of local non-governmental and governmental organizations assisting the neediest with school supplies and even free back-to-school haircuts. This year, the Rotary Club of Ambergris Caye, the San Pedro Town Council, and other citizen-driven groups assisted island students.

For over 36 years, teachers from the Caribbean countries including Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica have participated in this program.

At a meeting held on Thursday, August 31st, at the Angel Nunez Auditorium, the San Pedro High School (SPHS) management provided parents with an update on the structural damages affecting their main building. As per the report provided by Principal Emil Vasquez and the structural engineers, most of the building is in good condition except for three sections needing immediate repairs. These include the staff room, where the ceiling collapsed, and the computer and science lab. As further evaluations are made and plans to raise funds to complete all repairs begin, students will attend the Hon. Manuel Heredia Hall for most classes via a shifting system.