Education

The Garifuna Language Commission is proud to announce the Ministry of Education’s approval of the Garifuna Language Curriculum, the related Professional Development Plan, and the implementation of the Garifuna Language in Schools Program. This significant milestone marks a pivotal moment in the preservation and revitalization of the Garifuna language and culture.

A total of 20 Belizean educators are currently participating in a cultural exchange program with help from Participate Learning. This organization assists Latin-American teachers in teaching in the United States of America (USA), including those from Belize. The program is designed for teachers and allows them to work in American schools for five years. Participate Learning, in Virginia, USA, organized a Belizean media tour to understand and promote this opportunity better.

During a public meeting conducted by the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) and attended by Area Representative Honourable Andre Perez, a small school bus was presented to serve the students residing in northern Ambergris Caye. The community's parents, situated ten miles north of San Pedro, expressed their gratitude to the local authorities for providing the school bus. The bus is scheduled to begin its transportation service on Monday, February 26th, and onwards.

A new and improved online management system is under development for the San Pedro Junior College (SPJC). The Kreative Online School Management System (KOMS) program aims to enhance educational delivery, improve data security, and ensure secure digital transactions and financial reports. The new technology will enable the school to simplify information, reduce the use of additional resources, and become more efficient in their academic and administrative management.

On Thursday, February 22nd, the annual Bowen and Bowen Spelling Bee Belize District Zone Eliminations occurred at the Sagebrush Church Auditorium. The event saw the participation of several schools, including The Island Academy, Ambergris Caye Elementary School, Caye Caulker Roman Catholic, Holy Cross Anglican Primary School, Isla Bonita Elementary School, New Horizon Seventh Day Adventist, and San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School. Out of all the participating students, three emerged as the top spellers. Valentina Caliz from Holy Cross Anglican School took the third position, followed by Ryan Sanchez from Isla Bonita Elementary School in the second place. Yadier Carillo secured the first position from the Caye Caulker Roman Catholic School.

On Friday, February 16th, the San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School (SPRCS) joined the 112 Catholic institutions across Belize for the second annual Lighthouse Walk. The parade started shortly after 9AM under the theme "I love my Catholic School" and was a fundraiser for the Belize Catholic Schools' management.

On Friday, February 2nd, the National Assembly of Belize passed legislation to raise Belize’s compulsory education age to 16. Before this, education was mandatory for children between five and 14 years of age. The Education and Training Act of 2011 amendment means that children will be legally required to remain in school until they’re 16.

This 2024 could be the year for Belizean educators to achieve the goal of obtaining a master's degree in U.S. universities while living the experience of teaching in North America, as others Latin educators have done, thanks to the Participate Learning program's call for applications.