The Belize Education Sector Plan 2021 2025 - MoECST

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© GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE 2021

POLICY, PLANNING, RESEARCH AND EVALUATION UNIT
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, CULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER
SEPTEMBER 2021
The Belize Education Sector Plan 2021-2025

sets out the Ministry of Education’s vision
and plan for Making Education Work for
Belize. This plan has been developed at a
time of great challenge for our Nation as we
continue to face an unprecedented
economic crisis brought on by the
devastating COVID Pandemic. The COVID-19
pandemic has further exposed and widened
the learning gaps in our education system
particularly in our most vulnerable rural
communities where the information
technology infrastructure is virtually
nonexistent.
Technology is central to our Education

Sector Plan. We must embrace its use and
we must be bold, creative, and progressive
in its application to the needs and
requirements of our 2021-2025 education
system. This Plan is built on a commitment to Access,
Equity, and Quality. Our plan is student
Our philosophy and vision, outlined in this centered and focused on student learning
Plan, are grounded in the simple yet outcomes. Our education system continues
fundamental truth that the ultimate goal of to fail too many of our people. We must
Education is improving quality of life. The reverse this devastating reality with a sense
more knowledge, information, and skills you of purpose and urgency. With over 100,000
possess, the greater the likelihood of you students enrolled in our education system
leading a more productive and meaningful from pre-school to university, we have a
life and the more likely you are to contribute unique opportunity to shape the future,
positively to the development and change the future, build the future. I invite
upliftment of your family, community, and you to read this Plan and to join our efforts
country. to “Make Education Work for Belize.”
Hon. Francis W. Fonseca

Minister, MoECST
Belize
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MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER OF STATE
Thank you for your efforts to make

education work for all Belizeans. It requires
our combined contributions to ensure that
our students receive virtuous values and
principles, and innovative knowledge and
skills relevant to attaining sustainable
human development. All Belizeans must
have the real opportunity to access a high-
quality education at an affordable cost to
achieve their goals and dreams. Together we
should work to ensure the best for our
students and our country.
The responsibility to deliver on this vision for

education rests with all stakeholders, who
comprise the entire country. Students,
parents, teachers, principals, managements,
the Ministry of Education, the Government
of Belize, the private and NGO sectors, the
religious and civil society communities,
along with our international partners, all
play a key role in the transformation of our Our team at the Ministry of Education,
education system. Our Belize Education Culture, Science and Technology looks
Sector Plan: Making Education Work for forward to collaborating with you in genuine
Belize, 2021-2025 (BESPlan) lays out this partnership as we all execute BESPlan, and
exciting path that we are traveling together. at the national level, endeavor for “…peace,
social justice, liberty, national happiness, the
The sustainable human development of increase of industry, sobriety, and useful
Belize depends on our success in realizing knowledge” (Belizean National Prayer).
BESPlan. The economic, social, institutional,
and environmental pillars of Horizon 2030 Hon. Louis Zabaneh
need your active human agency to enhance Minister of State, MoECST
the capabilities of every Belizean, so that Belize
each person in our country may be able to
function at her or his best desired state of
wellbeing.
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Belize Education Sector Plan 2021-2025
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology acknowledges the contributions of the
following Ministry officials and the more than two hundred Belizean school leaders, teachers, parents,
students and community members who contributed their time and expertise to the development of the
Belize Education Sector Plan (BESPlan) 2021-2025.
Senior Management Team

Mrs. Dian Castillo-Maheia—Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Yolanda Gongora—Chief Education Officer
Dr. Neulin Nelson-Villanueva—Deputy Chief Education Officer
Mrs. Cecilia Ramirez-Smith—Deputy Chief Education Officer
Ms. Keisha Crown—Administrative Officer
Mr. Dylan Reneau—Finance Officer
Coordinating Team
Lead Coordinator and Writer: Dr. Neulin Nelson-Villanueva—Deputy Chief Education Officer
Data Analysts: Mr. Bernaldino Pech—Researcher/Planner, PPRE Unit; Mr. Ricardo Gideon—
Researcher/Planner, PPRE Unit; Mrs. Yvonne Casildo-Flowers—Statistician II-PPRE Unit
Editors— Mr. Bernaldino Pech—Researcher/Planner, PPRE Unit; Ms. Shakira Sharp—Administrative
Assistant, PEU
Logistics and Technical Support

Ms. Namrita Balani—Network Administrator, IT Unit; Mr. Jamir Castillo—Software Developer and BEMIS
Focal Point, IT Unit; Mrs. Cercia Kelly—Senior Secretary, PPRE Unit
Contributors
Director and Staff—Examinations Unit
Director and Staff—Education Support Services
Director and Staff—Employment Training and Education Services
Director and Staff—Quality Assurance Development Services
Director and Staff—Teacher Administrative Services
Director and Staff—Teacher Education and Development Services
Director and Staff—Tertiary and Post-Secondary Education Services
Manager and Staff—District Education Centre, Belize District
Manager and Staff—District Education Centre, Cayo District
Manager and Staff—District Education Centre, Corozal District
Manager and Staff—District Education Centre, Orange Walk District
Manager and Staff—District Education Centre, Stann Creek District
Manager and Staff—District Education Centre, Toledo District
Cover Design
Mr. Carlos Quiroz—National School Portal Coordinator
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CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... 1
1. Country Context ................................................................................................................................... 2
Population ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Economy ............................................................................................................................................... 4
2. The Education System .......................................................................................................................... 7
Service Delivery .................................................................................................................................... 7
Student Enrolment ............................................................................................................................... 8
Current Access to and Use of Technology ......................................................................................... 10
Education Outcomes .......................................................................................................................... 14
3. Overview of the Belize Education Sector Plan 2021-2025 ................................................................ 16
Vision Statement ................................................................................................................................ 17
Guiding Principles............................................................................................................................... 18
Goals ................................................................................................................................................... 18
Policy Objectives ................................................................................................................................ 19
Organization of the BESPlan .............................................................................................................. 20
Technology Integration ...................................................................................................................... 21
RELEVANCE TO NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS .......................................... 21
II. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ............................................................................................................................. 23
1. Reforming the System of Education .................................................................................................. 24
Structure and Function of the Ministry ............................................................................................. 24
KRA 1.1 Ministry of Education Reform: Becoming Fit for Purpose .................................................. 28
Cost and Financing of Education........................................................................................................ 29
KRA 1.2 Education Finance Reform: Getting Value for Money ........................................................ 33
Administration and Regulation of the System .................................................................................. 34
KRA 1.3 Governance Reform: Strengthening the Foundations ........................................................ 38
2. Transforming Teaching and Learning ................................................................................................ 39
The State of the National Curriculum................................................................................................ 39
KRA 2.1 Curriculum Reform: Learning What Matters ....................................................................... 43
The Origin and Status of National Assessments ............................................................................... 44
KRA 2.2 Assessment for Learning: Measuring What Counts ............................................................ 48
Development and Status of Teacher Education in Belize ................................................................. 49
KRA 2.3 Teacher Development: Elevating the Profession ................................................................ 52
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3. Prioritizing Underserved Sectors ....................................................................................................... 53

Status of Early Childhood Education ................................................................................................. 53
KRA 3.1 Early Childhood Education: Starting Strong ........................................................................ 57
Student Support Services ................................................................................................................... 58
KRA 3.2 Student Welfare: Reducing Vulnerability ............................................................................ 63
Special Education Services ................................................................................................................. 64
KRA 3.3 Special Education: Taking Everyone Along .......................................................................... 68
4. Maximizing Human Capital ................................................................................................................ 69
Technical and Vocational Education and Training ............................................................................ 69
KRA 4.1 TVET: Meeting the Needs ..................................................................................................... 73
Status of Higher Education in Belize.................................................................................................. 74
KRA 4.2 Higher Education: Raising the Bar ....................................................................................... 78
Overview of the Adult and Continuing Education Sector ................................................................. 79
KRA 4.3 Adult Education: Educating for Life ..................................................................................... 84
III. IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS..................................................................... 85
IV. TIMELINES AND OUTPUTS .................................................................................................................... 86
V. EXPECTED OUTCOMES ....................................................................................................................... 115
VI. RISK MITIGATION MEASURES ............................................................................................................. 123
VII. FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS ............................................................................................................. 125
Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................... 135
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Tables and Figures

Table 1 Gross Domestic Product by Activity (BZ$ Million)............................................................................ 4
Table 2 Number and Type of Educational Institutions ................................................................................. 7
Table 3 Student Enrolment by Level and Sector, 2015-2020........................................................................ 8
Table 4 Out of School Population, 2019 and 2020 ....................................................................................... 9
Table 5 Percentage of Teachers with High Technology Comfort Level, by Age and Sector, 2021 ............. 12
Table 6 Labour Force by Education Level and Gender................................................................................ 14
Table 7 Employment Outcomes by Level of Education Completed............................................................ 14
Table 8 Human Development Index, 1990-2019 ........................................................................................ 15
Table 9 Links to Development Plans ........................................................................................................... 21
Table 10 Government Expenditure on Education as a Percentage of GDP by Country, 2018 .................. 29
Table 11 Ministry of Education Budget Expenditures, 2020/21 ................................................................. 30
Table 12 School Attendance by Area, 2015 ................................................................................................ 32
Table 13 School Access to Technology by Level and Area, 2020 ................................................................ 32
Table 14 Performance on CSEC Examinations, 2014-2019 ......................................................................... 46
Table 15 Early Childhood Development Index, 2011 and 2015 .................................................................. 55
Table 16 Number of Trained and Untrained Preschool Teachers by District, 2019/20.............................. 55
Table 17 Distribution of SCLOs by District .................................................................................................. 60
Table 18 Enrolment in Special Schools and Classrooms by District, Type and Gender, 2019/20............... 65
Table 19 Enrolment of Students with SEN by Category of Need and Learning Environment, 2019/20 ..... 65
Table 20 Performance on BzNVQ Examinations by Occupational Trades, 2019 ........................................ 72
Table 21 List of Local Tertiary Institutions .................................................................................................. 74
Table 22 Enrolment in Higher Education by Subsector, 2014/15-2019/20 ................................................ 76
Table 23 List of ACE Institutions.................................................................................................................. 79
Table 24 Enrolment in ACE Institutions by District, 2015/16-2019/20....................................................... 80
Table 25 Programs Offered by ACE Institutions.......................................................................................... 81
Table 26 Implementation Plan .................................................................................................................... 86
Table 27 Key Performance Indicators and Theory of Change................................................................... 115
Table 28 Risk Mitigation Plan .................................................................................................................... 123
Table 29 Financing Arrangements ............................................................................................................ 125
Figure 1 Population by Age Groups, 2011-2020 ........................................................................................... 2

Figure 2 School-Age Population, 2011 and 2020 .......................................................................................... 3
Figure 3 Poverty Rates by District, 2009 and 2018 ....................................................................................... 5
Figure 4 GDP Growth Rate, 2014-2019 ......................................................................................................... 5
Figure 5 Structure of the Education System ................................................................................................. 7
Figure 6 Proportion of Enrolled Males and Females by sector of Education, 2020 ..................................... 9
Figure 7 Gross Enrolment Ratio by Level, 2011-2020 ................................................................................... 9
Figure 8 Distance Learning Formats at Secondary Schools by District, 2020 ............................................. 10
Figure 9 Percentage of Schools with Internet Connection by District and Level, 2020.............................. 11
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Figure 10 Percentage of Schools with Internet Connection by Level and Area, 2020 ................................ 11
Figure 11 School Communication Modes, 2021 ......................................................................................... 12
Figure 12 Current Organizational Structure................................................................................................ 25
Figure 13 Government Expenditure on Education as a Percentage of GDP, 2014-2018............................ 29
Figure 14 Portion of Recurrent Expenditure on Education, 2017/18-2020/21 .......................................... 29
Figure 15 Budgetary Allocations by Level, 2012/13-2019/20..................................................................... 30
Figure 16 Per Capita Spending by Level, 2012/13-2019/20 ....................................................................... 31
Figure 17 School Attendance by Wealth Quintile, 2015 ............................................................................. 31
Figure 18 Mean PSE Scores in English and Mathematics, 2010-2019 ........................................................ 45
Figure 19 Percentage of Sitters with SLP on CSEC English A and Math, 2010-2019 ................................... 47
Figure 20 Percentage of Trained Teachers by Level, 2005/06-2019/20 ..................................................... 50
Figure 21 Secondary Repetition and Dropout Rates by Gender, 2014/15-2018/19 .................................. 62
Figure 22 ITVET Enrolment by Gender, 2014/15-2019/20 ......................................................................... 72
Figure 23 Enrolment in Local Tertiary Institutions by Program, 2018/19 .................................................. 77
Figure 24 Enrolment in ACE Institutions by Gender, 2015/16-2019/20 ..................................................... 80
Figure 25 Governance Arrangements ......................................................................................................... 85
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Acronyms and Abbreviations
ACE Adult Continuing Education

AD Associate Degree
AG Attorney General
AO Administrative Officer
BBTE Belize Board of Teacher Education
BD Bachelor’s Degree
BEMIS Belize Education Management Information System
BJAT Belize Junior Achievement Test
BTSC Belize Teaching Service Commission
BZ Belize
BzNVQ Belize National Vocational Qualifications
CANTA Caribbean Association of National Training Agencies
CAPE Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination
CARICOM Caribbean Community
CDB Caribbean Development Bank
CEO Chief Executive Officer
CEdO Chief Education Officer
CSEC Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate
CVQ Caribbean Vocational Qualifications
CY Cayo
CZ Corozal
DCEdO Deputy Chief Education Officer
DEC District Education Centre
EAR Education [Amendment] Rules
ECDI Early Childhood Development Index
EMIS Education Management Information System
ESS Education Support Services
ETA Education and Training Act
ETES Employment Training and Education Services
FO Finance Officer
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GER Gross Enrolment Ratio
ICT Information and Communications Technology
IDB Inter-American Development Bank
ISCED International Standard Classification of Education
ITVET Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training
IU Implementing Unit
KPI Key Performance Indicator
KRA Key Result Area
LFS Labour Force Survey
MD Master’s Degree
MICS Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey
MoE Ministry of Education
MoECST Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology
MoEYSC Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture
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MPS Ministry of Public Service

NCTVET National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training
NER Net Enrolment Rate
OOSCI Out-of-School Children Initiative
OW Orange Walk
PEU Project Execution Unit
PPRE Policy, Planning, Research and Evaluation
PSE Primary School Examination
QADS Quality Assurance Development Services
SC Stann Creek
SEN Special Education Needs
SIB Statistical Institute of Belize
SICA Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (Central American Integration System)
STC Science and Technology Coordinator
TL Toledo
TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training
TWG Technical Working Group
UB University of Belize
UNDP United Nations Development Fund
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
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I. INTRODUCTION
1
1. Country Context
POPULATION
Belize is a Caribbean nation of 8,867 square over the same period. This pattern is typical
miles, located on the northeastern coast of of populations experiencing declining birth
Central America. The country is bordered in the rates and an increasingly aging population.
north by Mexico, the west and south by
Guatemala and the east by the Caribbean Sea. Figure 2 illustrates recent changes in the
The population is culturally and linguistically school-age population, specifically those 3-4
diverse and spread over six administrative years (pre-primary), 5-12 years (primary),
districts, each with its own unique 13-16 years (secondary) and 17-21 years
environmental, economic and demographic ( 2 tertiary). This portion of the population
characteristics. Belize’s population is estimated stood at 148,207 or 37.3% of the total
to be around 1400,000 with slightly more rural population in 2020.
(55%) than urban (45%) inhabitants and with
equal percentages of males and females. Consistent with the broader demographic
trends, the largest increase in school-age
The majority of the population, 65.8%, are 15-64 population, 17.5%, occurred in the tertiary
years of age, another 29.2% are 0-14 years of age group, the secondary and pre-primary
age, and those 65 years and older make up the age groups also increased, but only slightly,
remaining 5%. Figure 1 shows that over the last by 4.5% and 2.9% respectively, while the
ten years, this latter age group, though small, primary school age population declined by
grew by 46.1%. This is in contrast to the 0-14- 2%.
year old population which grew by less than 1%
FIGURE 1 POPULATION BY AGE GROUPS, 2011-2020
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
0-14 years 15-64 years 65 years and above
Source: UNDP, 2020
1 Population figures used in this sector plan were sourced 2The terms ‘tertiary education’ and ‘higher education’ are
from the United Nations Population Fund (UNDP) used interchangeably in this document to refer to the level
database which estimates the 2020 population to be of education following secondary. It includes post-
397,628. secondary and higher programs offered by junior colleges
and universities.
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FIGURE 2 SCHOOL-AGE POPULATION, 2011 AND 2020 Implications for Education

Despite its diversity, Belize has maintained a
stable parliamentary democracy without
major ethnic or religious conflict and there
has been frequent and peaceful transitions
61,328
62,574 of power between the country’s two major
political parties since its independence from
40,009
34,045
31,112
29,726
15,758
15,309
Great Britain in 1981. This socio-political

backdrop has important implications for
3-4 years 5-12 years 13-16 17-21 education planning. For example, the
heterogeneity in ethnicity, religious beliefs
2011 2020
and home language should be taken into
Source: UNDP, 2020 account in the design and delivery of
national curriculum, teacher training
Major ethnic groups in Belize include programs and student assessments. Failure
Mestizos/Hispanics who, according to the to do so can affect the success of reform
country’s 2010 Census, made up 47.9% of initiatives and reduce the achievement of
the population and the majority of expected outcomes.
inhabitants in the Corozal, Orange Walk,
Cayo and Stann Creek districts. Creoles are School-age population trends also require
the next largest ethnic group at 25.9% and attention as these have implications for the
form the majority of inhabitants in the Belize supply of education services and distribution
District. Other major ethnic groups include of resources. As the upper secondary,
the Maya (Ketchi, Mopan and Yucatec) who tertiary and adult education sectors expand,
make up 11.3% of the population and are the increased investments in facilities and
majority group in the Toledo District and staffing will be needed to address the
Garifunas, East Indians and Mennonites who increased demands for education services by
make up 6.1%, 3.9% and 3.6% of the total those age groups. Finally, in implementing
population respectively. education policies, consensus must always
be sought among diverse social and political
The 2010 Census also reported a wide lines so that initiatives can be sustained
variety of religious affiliations with the towards the achievement of educational
largest group, 40%, being Roman Catholics goals.
and 15% having no religious affiliation.
Unlike other Central American countries,
Belize’s official language and the language of
instruction in schools is English. However,
the languages most often spoken in homes
include Spanish, Belizean Creole (Kriol), the
three Mayan languages, Garifuna, German
and Chinese.
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Economy
Table 1 outlines trends in Belize’s Gross

Domestic Product (GDP) from 2000 to 2019. Despite declining contributions to GDP,
Preliminary figures for 2019 indicate that primary industries remain critical for
economic activities generated an annual employment and foreign exchange earnings.
GDP of BZ$2.88 billion. Belize’s economy is Major exports include sugar, banana, citrus
service sector-driven, with tourism being the concentrate and marine products, which go
largest driver within that sector. These primarily to the United States, Europe and
tertiary industries accounted for 74.7% of the Caribbean. Exports brought in BZ$413
GDP, an increase from 63% in 2000. The million in 2019; however, imports of
share of GDP from primary and secondary machinery and transportation equipment,
industries declined by 6 and 5 percentage mineral fuels and lubricants, manufactured
points respectively over the same time goods, food and chemicals, among other
period. goods, cost BZ$ 1,972 million that same year.
TABLE 1 GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT BY ACTIVITY (BZ$ MILLION)
Industry 2000 2010 2019p

Primary Industries 252.8 353.2 274.6
Agriculture and forestry 181.6 237.9 237.0
Fishing 62.2 103.7 27.7
Mining and quarrying 9.0 11.5 10.0
Secondary Industries 299.5 483.9 384.6
Manufacturing 158.2 299.3 171.6
Electricity and water supply 58.4 130.9 114.6
Construction 82.8 53.6 98.4
Tertiary Industries 938.5 1,429.0 1,945.2
Wholesale and retail trade, repairs 270.7 354.1 583.5
Hotels and restaurants 58.5 81.0 122.2
Transport, and communication 141.7 206.9 242.2
Financial intermediation 103.8 285.7 258.7
Real estate, renting and business services 98.2 146.1 244.1
Community, social and personal services 100.7 132.7 153.0
General government services 164.8 222.5 341.4
Less: Financial services indirectly measured 35.2 166.6 129.7
All Industries at Basic Prices 1455.6 2099.5 2474.7
Taxes less subsidies on products 208.6 299.0 411.8
GDP at Market Prices 1,664.1 2,398.5 2,886.4
Source: Statistical Institute of Belize
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Belize’s per capita income places it in the As shown in Figure 4, compared to

category of an upper middle-income neighboring countries such as Honduras and
country; however, a large portion of the Costa Rica, which had similar growth rates in
population is classified as poor. A recent 2014, Belize’s growth rate declined
Poverty Study report by the SIB placed significantly by 2016, while that of the two
Belize’s poverty rate at 52% in 2018, up from other countries increased. Also, although all
41% in 2009. As Figure 3 shows, Toledo had three countries experienced overall declines
the highest rate of poverty as well as the between 2014 and 2019, Belize’s decline was
largest increase in poverty over the time the most pronounced, ending the period
period, followed by Orange Walk and Cayo. with a GDP growth rate of just 0.3%.
This is in contrast to 2009 when the highest
poverty rates were in the Toledo, Corozal FIGURE 4 GDP GROWTH RATE, 2014-2019
and Stann Creek districts. Additionally, rates
6.0
of poverty are highest among children, 0-14
years of age (59.8%), households headed by 5.0
persons of Mayan ethnicity (77%), 4.0
households headed by persons who had
3.0
%
completed only a primary level education
(55%) and those who had not completed any 2.0
level of education (64%). 1.0
0.0
Rates of poverty are also traditionally higher 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
in rural than urban areas. Since the study
Honduras Costa Rica Belize
was conducted prior to the start of the
COVID-19 pandemic, it is likely that current Source: World Bank
poverty rates are much higher, with rates for
districts most dependent on industries such
as tourism experiencing the greatest
increases.
FIGURE 3 POVERTY RATES BY DISTRICT, 2009 AND 2018
82
% of Population
56 57 60
52
45 43 45 44 47
41
29
CZ OW BZ CY SC TL
2009 2018
Source: Statistical Institute of Belize
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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has

weakened Belize’s economic position even
further. The SIB’s Labour Force Survey reported
an unemployment rate of 13.7% in September of
2020. There were 38,909 persons without work
or out of the labour force due to the pandemic.
Job losses in the Tourism Industry accounted for
almost 30% of that number, as the share of
employed persons in that sector went from
17.9% in September 2019 to 8.1% in 2020. There
were big job losses in the ‘Wholesale and Retail
and Motor Vehicle Repairs’ and ‘Community,
Social and Personal Services’ industries as well.
Many of those who remained employed
reported reduced or partial wages and reduced
work hours.
Implications for Education

Belize’s large trade imbalance, heavy reliance on
a few export commodities and primarily North
American tourists make it extremely vulnerable
to the impact of both natural disasters and
global economic downturns. This fact has been
made evident with the current COVID-19
pandemic.
Additionally, the country’s geographic location

places it in the middle of both the hurricane belt
and the illicit drug trade between North and
South America. Increased unemployment is
likely to create even higher rates of crime and
juvenile delinquency.
The implications for education are clear.

Reduced family income limits access and
participation in education and increases the
need to provide financial support to such
families. This means that efficient use of
resources, initiatives to address disparities, and
increased social support services are critical.
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2. The Education System

3 SERVICE DELIVERY
The system of education in Belize is divided Education services are delivered by three
into four levels: pre-primary, primary, types of institutions 1) government schools,
secondary and tertiary, as illustrated in which are owned, funded and managed by
Figure 5. Education from the pre-primary to the Government of Belize; 2) government-
the secondary level takes 14 years; however, aided schools, which receive public grants
only primary school is currently compulsory. but are owned and managed by religious or
community groups; and 3) private
FIGURE 5 STRUCTURE OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM institutions, which are owned by private
persons or entities and receive little or no
Level Sublevel # of Years Age ISCED Level public funding.
Year 1 1 3 0
Pre-primary
Year 2 1 4 0 Table 2 lists the number and type of schools
by district. As shown, 62% of all preschools,
Education System
Lower 3 5-7 1
Primary Middle 3 8-10 1 65% of all primary schools, 48% of all high
Upper 2 11-12 2
schools and 77% of all tertiary institutions
Lower 2 13-14 2
are government-aided schools. Additionally,
Secondary there are five government and one
Upper 2 15-16 3
Junior government-aided TVET institution; and
2 17-18 4-5
Tertiary College three government, three government-aided
University 2+ 18+ 6-7
TABLE 2 NUMBER AND TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Level and Funding Category
Pre-schools Primary Schools High Schools Junior Colleges Universities
District G GA P G GA P G GA P G GA P GA P
TOTAL 229 310 61 11 2
39 142 48 58 201 51 17 29 15 2 9 0 1 1
BZ 8 28 16 6 44 9 7 10 1 0 3 0 0 0
CY 9 24 16 15 42 20 2 7 8 0 2 0 1 1
CZ 6 30 1 6 34 2 1 4 1 1 2 0 0 0
OW 8 13 5 12 22 8 2 3 3 0 1 0 0 0
SC 4 22 8 5 21 8 3 2 1 1 1 0 0 0
TL 4 25 2 14 38 4 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0
Source: PPRE Unit, MoECST
3
Mrs. Yvonne Flowers from the PPRE Unit made
significant contributions to the Education System
section of the analysis.
7
and five private Adult and Continuing There have been declines in both primary
Education (ACE) institutions. A variety of school enrolment and the number of 5-12
non-formal skills-based institutions and year olds in the population and increases can
programs also operate within the system. be seen in both tertiary enrolment and the
number of 17-21 year olds in the population.
STUDENT ENROLMENT
Figure 6 illustrates that enrolment at the
Total enrolment in the formal education lower levels of education is close to 1:1 for
system declined slightly, by 1.8%, between males and females, with only a slightly
2015 and 2019. Preliminary figures for the higher enrolment of males at the primary
year 2020, however, indicate a more level and a slightly higher enrolment of
significant decline in total enrolment females at the pre-primary and secondary
between 2019 and 2020. levels. At the secondary level, the disparity is
greater in the higher forms, as increasingly
Table 3 shows that the levels most affected more males than females drop out of school.
by this decline were pre-primary, primary Males are significantly overrepresented in
and tertiary, which decreased by 33%, 4.7% the TVET sector, making up almost 80% of
and 8.6% respectively. This decrease in enrolment, but underrepresented in both
enrolment is most likely attributed to the the tertiary and ACE sectors, where females
economic impact of the pandemic and the make up almost two-thirds of enrolment.
prolonged school closure from March 2020
to March 2021. Prior to 2020, trends in
school enrolment at the pre-primary,
primary, secondary and tertiary levels were
more or less consistent with population
trends for those age groups.
TABLE 3 STUDENT ENROLMENT BY LEVEL AND SECTOR, 2015-2020
Sector 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020p

Pre-primary 7,618 7,461 7,349 7,485 7,312 4,914
Primary 68,084 67,298 66,465 65,993 64,982 61,914
Secondary 22,112 22,036 22,027 22,313 22,280 22,660
TVET 684 723 729 753 856 836
Tertiary 9,033 9,425 9,527 9,830 10,174 9,297
ACE 1,146 1,211 1,167 1,157 1,085 1,085
Total 108,677 108,154 107,264 107,531 106,689 100,477

Source: PPRE Unit-MoECST
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FIGURE 6 PROPORTION OF ENROLLED MALES AND FIGURE 7 GROSS ENROLMENT RATIO BY LEVEL, 2011-
FEMALES BY SECTOR OF EDUCATION, 2020 2020
110.7 110.0 109.0 108.3 106.4

101.0
37.0% 36.4%
49.9% 51.8% 48.3% 70.4 69.6 69.4 70.4 70.8 72.8
50.5 48.9 47.4 47.7 46.6

78.7%
31.2
24.0 24.7 24.5 25.0 25.6
23.2
63.0% 63.6%
50.1% 48.2% 51.7% 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
21.3% Preprimary Primary

Secondary Tertiary
Sources: UNDP; PPRE Unit-MoECST
Table 4 records the number and percentage

Female Male
of children who are estimated to be out of
school. These estimates suggest that 74.2%
Source: PPRE Unit-MoECST of 3-4year olds were out of school during the
2020-21 school year compared to 49.5% in
Figure 7 shows Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER) 2019-20. Over 3,600 children, or 6% of 5-12
for each level of education and highlights the year olds, were also out of school compared
to fewer than 2% the year before. On the
impact that COVID-19 has had on
other hand, the number and percentage of
participation in education. As can be seen,
13-16 year olds attending school increased
GER declined at all levels except secondary. to 80.3% in 2020 compared to 70.4% in 2019.
TABLE 4 OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION, 2019 AND 2020

Year 2019 2020
In school Out of School In School Out of School

Age Group
# % # % # % # %
3-4yrs 7,932 50.5% 7,764 49.5% 4,047 25.7% 11,711 74.3%

5-12yrs 60,111 98.4% 967 1.6% 57,670 94.0% 3,658 6.0%
13-16yrs 22,152 70.4% 9,336 29.6% 24,972 80.3% 6,140 19.7%

Sources: UNDP; PPRE Unit-MoECST
9
4 CURRENT ACCESS TO AND USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Accessibility only 16% of preschools and 11% of primary

schools engaged in some online instruction.
Access to technology such as the Internet and
digital devices is recognized as essential for
Most secondary schools used a blended
teaching and learning in the 21st Century. The
learning approach with online classes for
COVID-19 pandemic has made these
students who had access and printed
technologies even more essential. Belize
packages for those who did not. The use of
entered a lockdown in March of 2020 due to
exclusively online delivery was highest in
the COVID-19 pandemic which forced
Orange Walk where 53% of schools provided
education services to continue through
online-only instruction. None of the
distance learning for the remainder of that
secondary schools in Toledo were able to do
academic year and well into 2020/21.
so; in fact, the majority of the schools in that
district used printed packages exclusively (see
Although 45% of preschools and 40% of
Figure 8). Online learning was most common
primary schools provided some online
in secondary schools located in urban areas.
content, printed packages were the only
accessible means of continued learning for
In the Continuing Education (ACE) sector,
the majority of students. This was especially
learning also continued through distance
true for students in the Toledo District where
learning modalities, with over 95% of
FIGURE 8 DISTANCE LEARNING FORMATS AT SECONDARY SCHOOLS BY DISTRICT, 2020
87%
69%
63% 63%
58%
53%
40% 42%
38%
33% 30%
5% 7% 7% 7%
1% 0% 0%
Combination of Online Classes and Printed Packages Only Online Classes Only
Printed Packages
Belize District Cayo District Corozal District

Orange Walk District Stann Creek District Toledo District
4
Mr. Bernaldino Pech and Mr. Ricardo Gideon from the PPRE Unit made significant contributions to this section of
the analysis.
10
students in ACE engaging through online FIGURE 10 PERCENTAGE OF SCHOOLS WITH INTERNET
instruction and a few students engaging CONNECTION BY LEVEL AND AREA, 2020
through printed packages.
100%
At the tertiary level, learning progressed 96%
solely through online instruction. At this level, 81%

77% of students indicated they had access to 71%
67%
home internet and 95% confirmed that they 56%
had access to remote learning devices (e.g.
computer, smart phone or tablet).
The TVET sector was hit especially hard as

levels of access to internet and devices by
trainees were very low. Although most Preschool Primary Secondary
institutions provided a combination of online
Rural Urban
learning and printed packages, neither
method was accessible to some trainees, Source: PPRE Unit, MoECST
especially those living in remote areas. Thus
some trainees, as much as 98% at the Toledo
ITVET, were not engaged in any type of
continued learning.
As shown in Figures 9 and 10, internet

connectivity varies by district, area and level.
A total of 62% of preschools, 77% of primary
schools and 92% of secondary schools are
connected to the internet, with rates in urban
areas higher than in rural areas.
FIGURE 9 PERCENTAGE OF SCHOOLS WITH INTERNET CONNECTION BY DISTRICT AND LEVEL, 2020
94% 100% 95% 100%

92%
88%
83% 84% 83%80%
79% 80% 77%
75% 75%
68%
60% 62%
58%
40%
35%
BZ CY CZ OW SC TL TOT
Preprimary Primary Secondary
11
Use of Technology Online lessons at the preschool and primary

school levels have been delivered mostly
Most teachers (83%) have access to reliable
through Google Classroom, Zoom sessions
internet and a computer at home (86%).
and WhatsApp. Secondary schools also make
Nonetheless, in a recent survey, only 32% of
use of Moodle, Microsoft Teams and other
teachers rated themselves as “very
platforms for lesson delivery. Schools also use
comfortable” with using technology for basic
a variety of platforms for communicating with
tasks, 63% chose a rating of “somewhat
parents and students, the most common
comfortable” and 5% selected a rating of “not
being WhatsApp, as detailed in Figure 11.
comfortable”. Younger teachers and those
teaching in the higher sectors of education
reported higher levels of comfort (see Table
5).
TABLE 5 PERCENTAGE OF TEACHERS WITH HIGH TECHNOLOGY COMFORT LEVEL, BY AGE AND SECTOR, 2021
Age Group Education Level

18 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 50 50+ Preschool Primary Secondary ITVET Tertiary
46% 35% 22% 21% 23% 26% 44% 48% 54%
Source: Teacher Readiness Survey, 2021
FIGURE 11 SCHOOL COMMUNICATION MODES, 2021
WhatsApp Pre-90% Pri-84% Sec-90%
Text Messages Pre-83% Pri-83% Sec-77%
Phone Calls Pre-74% Pri-82% Sec-88%
Printed Notes Pre-48% Pri-44% Sec-54%
Facebook/Messenger Pre-31% Pri-42% Sec-90%
Email Pre-18% Pri-26% Sec-73%
12
While teachers, students and parents did • use of online platforms for the
their best to communicate and continue the delivery of continuing professional
learning process through distance modalities, development courses;
the Ministry of Education was equally • the suspension and replacement of
challenged to find ways to continue its core standardized exams at the primary
services. Between April and June of 2020, level with grade level diagnostic
much of the Ministry of Education’s human assessments; and
and financial resources were focused on • changes in supervision and appraisal
providing continuing education support to criteria to include new protocols
schools, including the production of learning related to the COVID-19 pandemic
resources and guidance in developing and distance learning.
learning continuity plans.
Internal and stakeholder meetings were done
Reports from school administrators indicate exclusively online and so too were a number
that 82% of preschools and 91% of primary of surveys; however, limited access to
schools incorporated the Ministry’s printed technology by some groups, especially
resources into their learning continuity plans; parents and students in rural areas, resulted
65% of preschools and 77% of primary in some inequities in the reporting and
schools used the radio resources and 43% of recording of challenges.
preschools and 44% of primary schools
incorporated the electronic resources. The The Belize Education Management
video resources were used by 37% of Information System (BEMIS), which is the
preschools and 39% of primary schools. country’s school, student and teacher
Printed resources were provided to 52% of database, proved helpful in providing
high schools, all of those indicating the need information such as changes in enrolment as
for such assistance. a result of the pandemic, despite challenges
with field verification due to school closure.
The efforts to assist schools in this way Full system functionality, including more
proved unsustainable and were not comprehensive student, teacher and school
continued into the 2020/21 academic year. data within the system and use of the system
Instead, focus turned to the development of for processing teacher leaves, conducting
a national education learning platform and appraisals, and recording teacher
the procurement and distribution of digital professional development hours, would have
learning devices and internet access for facilitated the move to online services and
students in need. These efforts are still could have provided more data to support
ongoing. decision-making.
Other ways in which the Ministry of
Education adjusted its services included the
following:
13
EDUCATION OUTCOMES
One of the primary aims of education is to Data in Table 7 illustrate that a person’s level
produce “good, productive” citizens. This of education can influence their employment
presupposes that the education system will outcomes. Specifically, those with higher
be aligned to the social and economic needs levels of education tend to have higher labour
of the country and that graduates will force participation rates, lower levels of
successfully attain the knowledge, capacities, unemployment and higher average monthly
values and attitudes to participate incomes.
meaningfully in the economic life of the
nation and to live harmoniously with others. LFS data reveal gender disparities in
employment outcomes as well. For example,
5 Table 6 is based on reports from the SIB’s in September 2020, 17% of females who were
September 2020 Labour Force Survey (LFS). available for work and wanted to work were
The figures indicate that 13% of the labour unemployed compared to 11.6% of males. A
force had not completed any level of recent IDB study on employability in Belize
education, another 38% had only a primary also found that women earn lower average
school education, 25% had completed monthly incomes than men with the same
secondary school, and 21% had completed level of education, even within the same
tertiary education. Males make up 60.3% of fields (Naslund-Hadley, Navarro-Palau &
the labour force. Prada, 2020).
TABLE 6 LABOUR FORCE BY EDUCATION LEVEL AND GENDER

Highest Level of Education Completed Male Female Total
None 14,414 7,476 21,890
Primary 43,171 20,313 63,484
Secondary 23,698 19,255 42,954
Tertiary 16,799 18,615 35,414
Other 2,642 682 3,324
Don't Know/Not Stated 1,045 520 1,565
Total 101,768 66,861 168,630
Source: LFS, September 2020, SIB
TABLE 7 EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES BY LEVEL OF EDUCATION COMPLETED
Outcomes None Primary Secondary Tertiary

Labour Force Participation Rate 67.9 63.6 75.3 86.8
Unemployment by Education Attainment 44.4 27.3 14.3 13.2
Average Monthly Income $803 $943 $1,226 $1,816
Source: LFS, September 2019, SIB
5
Figures reported in the 2019 survey were 16% for no persons who produce goods primarily or solely for
formal education, 44% for primary, 23% for secondary family consumption are no longer considered
and 17% for tertiary. The difference may be related to employed. The impact of COVID-19 on labour force
the change in definitions used by the SIB to classify participation rates of different groups may also be a
persons as part of the labour force. For example, factor.
14
About 22.5% of the labour force, 37,987 children born in 2019 could expect to receive
workers, in September 2020 were young 13.1 years of schooling compared to 10.8
persons, 14-24 years of age. This group is years for those born in 1990, and the average
primarily male, 62%, and had an years of schooling in the population was 9.9
unemployment rate of 23%, almost twice the years compared to 5.9 years in 1990. Gross
national rate. Youth unemployment and non- National Income (GNI) also increased by
participation in school are major contributors 36.5%.
to crime, especially in urban areas, where
alternative livelihood opportunities, such as Although education is not the only
subsistence farming, are not readily available. determinant of human development, it can
be both a contributing factor and a policy
Major crimes such as drug and firearm solution for many of the problems that the
offences are prevalent. Belize also has one of country currently faces. Quality, relevant,
the highest homicide rates in the world. The equitable and accessible education can be a
Belize Crime Observatory’s annual report for driver for personal, community, and national
2020 placed the homicide rate at 24.3 per development, but this requires purposeful
100,000 inhabitants. This is down from a peak reform of the education system, innovative
of 42.6 in 2012. The majority of homicide transformation of teaching and learning
victims are males, 89% in 2020, and most are approaches, intentional prioritization of
under the age of 35. currently underserved sectors and skillful
maximization of Belize’s human capital for
As shown in Table 8, Belize’s health, sustained social and economic development.
education and socio-economic status That is the intention with which the current
produced a Human Development Index (HDI) Belize Education Sector Plan (BESPlan) 2021-
of 0.716 in 2019, a ranking of 110 out of 189 2025 was formulated.
countries. Over the last three decades, life
expectancy increased from 71.2 to 74.6 years,
TABLE 8 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX, 1990-2019
Life Expected Mean years GNI per HDI value

Year expectancy years of of schooling capita (2017
at birth schooling PPP$)
1990 71.2 10.8 5.9 4,674 0.610
1995 69.4 11.3 6.4 5,570 0.624
2000 68.8 11.8 7.1 6,080 0.640
2005 70.0 12.3 7.6 6,539 0.662
2010 72.1 12.4 9.5 6,524 0.695
2015 74.0 12.8 9.5 6,846 0.710
2016 74.2 13.5 9.7 6,671 0.717
2017 74.4 13.1 9.8 6,507 0.714
2018 74.5 13.1 9.8 6,453 0.714
2019 74.6 13.1 9.9 6,382 0.716
Source: UNDP, 2020
15
3. Overview of the Belize Education Sector Plan 2021-2025
The Belize Education Sector Plan (BESPlan) symposium brought parents, students,
was developed by the Ministry of Education, teachers, school leaders and employers
Culture, Science and Technology (MoECST) together with education officers to discuss
over the period January to August 2021. The the future of education.
process was led by the Ministry’s Policy,
Planning, Research and Evaluation Unit and The MoECST used information from this
started with a statistical analysis of current discourse to revise the priority areas and
demographic, economic and education data strategic actions, ensuring that the priority
and a thorough review of the following needs and recommendations of
education plans, policy documents and stakeholders were taken into account and to
related studies: verify the plan’s relevance and alignment
with national development needs. The Belize
• the Belize Education Sector Strategy Education Sector Plan (BESPlan) 2021-2025
2020-2025, which was based on the was endorsed by Cabinet on August 24,
evaluation of the country’s previous 2021.
education sector plan and subsequent
education sector analysis, as well as In summary, the BESPlan is designed to do
extensive consultations with the following:
stakeholders; • Build the Future: Build on strengths
• the planBelize Education Policy, which within the current system of
was developed by the current education
administration in consultation with • Change the Future: Address
education professionals and a wide weaknesses within the current
range of stakeholders, as part of a system of education
broader development framework for • Guard the Future: Mitigate against
Belize; and threats that are likely to impact the
• surveys, research studies and reports system of education now and in the
from the MoECST and others on the future
general situation of education, as well • Shape the Future: Leverage
as the effects and implications of the emerging opportunities for the
COVID-19 pandemic on the system and benefit of the education system now
the country. and in the future
The statistical analysis and literature review The MoECST is committed to the
led to a tentative selection of priority areas implementation of the BESPlan over the
and strategic actions. These were further period 2021-2025. It will be the major policy
validated through consultations within the document used by the Ministry for
MoECST, as well as with various stakeholder planning, budgeting and allocating human,
groups. Information from stakeholder material and financial resources over the
groups came primarily through an Education next four years.
Symposium held in May of 2021. The
16
VISION STATEMENT
The Belize education system will be inclusive, of high quality, accessible and equitable,
technologically driven, and capable of fostering the development of good, productive citizens.
The system will be accountable and effective in providing the support necessary to allow
students, regardless of individual or family characteristics, to achieve their full personal and
academic potential and to contribute positively to national development.
• The Ministry of Education will be suitably organized and staffed by personnel who have
the relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes to deliver quality and responsive education
services within an organizational culture that promotes innovation and accountability.
• The Ministry of Education will have measurable impact on the social and economic
development of the nation through a financing system that is based on equity,
performance and merit.
• The Belize education system will be guided by a comprehensive and effective policy and
regulatory framework that facilitates access, inclusion, quality and accountability.
• Belizean students will spend their time in school acquiring the knowledge, skills and
attitudes that are needed for their personal development and the development of the
nation.
• Science and technology resources will be widely available and effectively used to facilitate
and improve the quality of teaching, learning, and decision-making.
• Belizean students will participate in a fair, valid system of assessments that allows for
improvement, certification and verification of their competencies and level of
achievement.
• Belizean teachers will have the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to support
students in acquiring high levels of literacy, numeracy, critical thinking and personal and
interpersonal skills.
• All Belizean preschool-aged children will have access to quality preschool programs and
services.
• All Belizean children will have access to quality education services regardless of their
unique physical, social, emotional or academic needs.
• A sense of ownership for TVET by the public and private sectors will be evident from their
extensive involvement in the development and quality assurance of TVET programs and
institutions.
• Belizeans will have access to high quality and relevant tertiary education programs and
research provided by institutions that meet national, regional and international
standards.
• Belizeans will be able to access relevant educational opportunities for self-improvement
and employment throughout their life span.
17
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
In pursuing its vision for education, the MoECST is guided by the following principles and values:
 All our people, wherever they live and whatever their ethnicity, religious preference,
political affiliation, gender or economic status, must have access to quality education.
 All Belizeans must be provided with an opportunity to acquire the capacity and attitudes
for full and active participation in the development of the nation.
 Access, Equity and Quality are central to the Education Agenda from Preschool to
University.
confidence,
caring, fairness,
ambition,
patriotism and flexibility, open- excellence and
passion,
civic pride mindedness and efficiency
determination
adaptability
and creativity
inclusivity,
respect for
collaboration, hard work,
human rights,
transparency, industry,
social justice
responsibility productivity and
and our
and innovation
environment
accountability
Goals
The overarching goals of the Belize Education Sector Plan (BESPlan) 2021-2025 are to:
 increase access to all levels of education, from preschool to university;
 reduce gender, rural/urban and socioeconomic inequities in education;
 improve the quality of education provided at all levels of the system; and
 align the system of education to national development needs.
18
Policy Objectives
In order to meet its goal of developing a more accessible, equitable, accountable and effective
education system, the MoECST will work in partnership with stakeholders to accomplish the
following twelve policy objectives, by 2025:
1. Restructure the Ministry of Education in order to increase its efficiency and capacity to
respond effectively to the needs of the education system.
2. Align the Ministry's financial resources and mechanisms with targets for improved
performance, expanded access and increased equity and accountability.
3. Strengthen the legislative, regulatory and policy framework for better outcomes and
improved governance and leadership of the education system
4. Reform the national curriculum so that students are able to gain the knowledge, skills,
values and attitudes needed for personal and national development.
5. Make innovative use of science and technology to transform teaching, learning and
decision-making processes.
6. Create a quality and relevant assessment and examination system that is aligned to the
national curriculum and that provides meaningful information for improvements in
teaching and learning.
7. Transform teacher education and development programs and incentivize quality teaching
practices and performance results for improved student learning.
8. Implement early childhood policy and curricular reform and expand services in
underserved areas to increase access to quality early childhood education.
9. Provide the legislation, policies, programs and resources needed to improve the inclusion
and experience of all students in the education system, including those with physical or
learning disabilities, psychosocial challenges and socio-economic need.
10. Strengthen partnerships with industries and the private sector to improve the quality,
relevance and responsiveness of the TVET sector.
11. Implement legislation, policies and mechanisms to build the higher education sector’s
capacity to deliver quality programs and research services aligned to national
development needs.
12. Expand access to relevant adult education programs to build Belize’s human capital and
upgrade the quality of the workforce.
19
ORGANIZATION OF THE BESPLAN
The BESPlan is organized along four domains: Domain 1-Reforming the Education System, Domain 2-
Transforming Teaching and Learning, Domain 3-Prioritizing Underserved Sectors, and Domain 4-
Maximizing Human Capital. Each domain has three Key Result Areas (KRA) that are related to the policy
objectives described above. The domains and related KRAs are illustrated below. An overview of each
domain and KRA is provided in the Strategic Priorities section of the document along with the strategic
actions that the MoECST intends to take to achieve the policy objectives.
DOMAINS KEY RESULT AREAS (KRA)
1. REFORMING THE • 1.1 Ministry of Education Reform: Becoming Fit for Purpose
SYSTEM OF • 1.2 Education Finance Reform: Getting Value for Money
EDUCATION • 1.3 Governance Reform: Strengthening the Foundations
2. TRANSFORMING • 2.1 Curriculum Transformation: Learning What Matters

TEACHING AND • 2.2 Assessment for Learning: Measuring What Counts
LEARNING • 2.3 Teacher Development: Elevating the Profession
• 3.1 Early Childhood Education: Starting Strong

3. PRIORITIZING
• 3.2 Student Welfare: Reducing Vulnerability
UNDERSERVED
• 3.3 Special Education: Taking Everyone Along
SECTORS
• 4.1 TVET: Meeting the Needs

4. MAXIMIZING • 4.2 Higher Education: Raising the Bar
HUMAN CAPITAL • 4.3 Adult Education: Educating for Life
20
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
The MoECST recognizes that the innovative use of technology is essential to the goal of
achieving a modern, effective education system. Therefore, technology is a major theme and
key component of the BESPlan. Technology is integrated into all domains of the BESPlan as
follows:
• Reforming the System of Education-using technology to improve education services
and decision-making and ensuring access to technology to reduce the inequities in
education.
• Transforming Teaching and Learning-integrating science and technology concepts
and approaches into the curriculum and developing tools to facilitate online
learning, student assessment and professional development.
• Prioritizing Underserved Sectors-using technology to increase access,
responsiveness and support to students in need.
• Maximizing Human Capital: promoting online learning and supporting students and
teachers to pursue studies and research in STEM.
RELEVANCE TO NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Belize has committed to national, regional and international goals for education that seek to
increase access and equity and improve the quality of education for all. These include the
National Development Framework for Belize, Horizon 2030, the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) Human Resource Development Strategy (HRDS) 2030, and the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG) 2030. Table 9 lists the major goals and outcomes of these plans and
the KRAs that are relevant to each.
TABLE 9 LINKS TO DEVELOPMENT PLANS

Development Plan Goals/Outcomes/Targets Relevant BESPlan
KRAs
Horizon 2030 Outcome 1. Strengthen management, monitoring and 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
accountability in the education system
Outcome 2. Improve Access to Education 1.2, 1.3, 3.1, 3.2,
3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
Outcome 3. Improve Delivery and Relevance of the 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1,
Education Curriculum 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
Outcome 4. Develop Education Support Systems and 1.2, 2.1, 3.2,.3.3

Services
Outcome 5. Develop Adult and Continuing Education 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
21
Development Goals/Outcomes/Targets Relevant BESPlan

Plan KRAs
CARICOM HRDS Outcome 1: Broadened and deepened access and participation in 1.2, 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3,
2030 all HRD sectors 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
Outcome 2: Strengthened equity in the access to and provision of 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1,
HRD in all HRD sectors 4.2, 4.3
Outcome 3: Improved quality in delivery in all HRD sectors 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2,
2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1,
4.2, 4.3
Outcome 4: Assured relevance to learners’ and Member States’ 2.1, 3.1, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2,
development needs in all HRD sectors 4.3
SDG 2030 Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2,
equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to 2.3, 3.2, 3.3
relevant and effective learning outcomes
Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.1
quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary
education so that they are ready for primary education
Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men 1.2, 4.1, 4.2
to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary
education, including university
Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth 2.1, 2.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and
vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and
entrepreneurship
Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and 1.1, 1.2, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1,
ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational 4.2, 4.3
training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities,
indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations
Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, 1.1, 3.1, 3.2
disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent,
inclusive and effective learning environments for all
Target 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1,
proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and 4.3
numeracy
Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure all learners acquire knowledge and 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
skills needed to promote sustainable development, including
among others through education for sustainable development
and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality,
promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global
citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s
contribution to sustainable development
Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified 1.1, 2.3, 3.1, 3.3, 4.1,
teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher 4.2
training in developing countries, especially least developed
countries and small island developing States
22
II. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
23
1. Reforming the System of Education
Overview: Reforming the education system • monitor the quality and effectiveness
is a necessary condition for achieving of education at all levels of the
successful education outcomes. The Belize education system.
Education Sector Plan seeks systemic reform
in three critical areas: The organizational structure that has been in
operation at the Ministry of Education is
• the structure and function of the depicted in Figure 12. There is no clear
Ministry of Education in order to alignment between the current
increase its efficiency and effectiveness; organizational structure of the Ministry of
• the system of budgeting and allocation Education and its legislated functions. This
of public funds to ensure that there is results in both gaps and overlaps in the
accountability, value for money, and provision of services. For example, there are
that students and areas that are most in no assigned organizational units or
need are prioritized; and established processes for the development
• the legislative, regulatory, leadership of standards and policies. This has led to
and administrative framework to multiple units, and in some cases, individual
ensure that the system of education can officers, at various levels of the system
be governed effectively and that quality developing and enforcing standards and
can be assured. policies that have not undergone the level of
consultation, examination, harmonization or
approval that would be expected before
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE MINISTRY implementation.
Section 3 of the Belize Education and One of the key areas that highlights these
Training Act, 2010, gives the Ministry of gaps and overlaps is in the important task of
Education the mandate to: monitoring and supporting schools. The
• establish and set national education Education Amendment Rules outlines one of
goals and policies; the primary functions of the District
• set standards for the education Education Centres as follows:
system;
• issue licenses to schools and other
educational institutions, provided The District Education Centre
that all prerequisites to licensing are shall…undertake the following activities… (i)
met; regular school supervision to support and
• issue licenses to teachers, provided monitor school improvement and
that all the prerequisites to licensing development by providing guidance and
are met; support for the development and conduct of
• provide support systems for the school self-assessment, and the
effective delivery of appropriate and development and implementation of school
equitable educational services at all improvement plans; (ii) monitoring and
levels of the education system; and providing support and feedback to
managements, schools and teachers by
24
identifying areas of weakness in quality of The Ministry has made several attempts to
teaching including curriculum delivery, institutionalize such processes, starting with
classroom practices and assessment. a Quality Child Friendly School Initiative
(QCSF) in 2009 and later with a School Self-
(Rule 8A, EAR, 2012) Assessment and Improvement Planning
(SSA&IP) process and accompanying school
The function of school supervision is supervision reform between 2013 and 2018.
nonetheless dispersed across various units
of the Ministry and, in many cases, the The QCSF initiative proved to be problematic
nature of such supervision does not reflect to implement on a large scale and also had
the content of Rule 8A. For example, DECs validity issues with the instruments used.
are currently responsible for supervising The SSA&IP process was implemented in
schools at the pre-primary and primary about 50% of primary schools as a
levels of education only and the nature of prerequisite to a teacher professional
the monitoring has been primarily in the development project and was expected to
form of adherence to checklists that focus on continue in the remaining primary schools
basic provisions for school operation. There under the District Education Centres but was
has been little support in recent years for never pursued beyond the project.
school self-assessment or for in-depth
identification and support in areas of
weaknesses.
FIGURE 12 CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
25
As noted by a recent study, “while In many cases, functions are assigned to a

substantial monitoring is completed, there is single officer or small units with other
little opportunity to support teachers and responsibilities that take precedence over
principals to build the capacity identified by what should be their core function. Such is
the monitoring” (Strengthening System the case with the Tertiary and Post-
Leadership Consultancy, 2018). DECs have Secondary Education Services, where staff
cited the burden of administrative and focus more on the processing of financial
routine tasks and resource limitations as assistance than they do on quality
reasons for their inability to provide more monitoring and support of the tertiary
support to schools. The result is that, with no sector.
appropriate interventions, poor performing
schools continue to be poor performing Another area of ambiguity is the role of the
schools. Office of the Inspectorate. The lack of clarity
between the purpose of school supervision
Supervision of the other sectors of education visits by DECs and other units and
is done by various other units. A two-person inspections conducted by the Inspectorate is
unit embedded within the Quality Assurance a perennial issue. Attempts to establish
Development Services (QADS) is responsible clarity and collaboration have been met with
for supervising secondary schools. In limited success. The Inspectorate was
addition to training and providing guidance established to conduct inspections of
to secondary schools in school-self- schools in accordance with provisions in the
assessment and improvement planning, Education and Training Act which states the
officers within this unit are assigned various following:
tasks related to the mandate of QADS which
is primarily curriculum development; “The Chief Education Officer shall carry out
therefore, limited day-to-day monitoring of a triennial inspection of each school and
secondary schools is actually done. continuance of permission to operate the
said schools will be dependent on the
The Employment Training and Education results of the said evaluation”
Services (ETES) is responsible for supervising (Section 42.3, BETA, 2010).
Technical and Vocational Education and
Training institutions. ETES’s focus is almost However, the Inspectorate has been unable
entirely on the country’s six ITVETs, meaning to reach the required number of schools,
that very little supervision of other skills partly due to the time and resource-
training institutions occurs. ETES intensive processes used to derive the
coordinates all key functions for the TVET quality assessment. The usefulness of the
sector: program development, assessment, exercise has also been questioned as
professional development and supervision. inspection reports fall short of making
Within ETES there is also an Adult and recommendations on either school
Continuing Education (ACE) coordinator improvement or school closures.
whose responsibility it is to supervise ACE
programs and institutions.
26
A 2018 report from the Ministry of Public monitoring and evaluation and creation of
Service on Job Classification and feed-forward and feed-back loops from the
Compensation further highlighted the “district office functions” which should be
weaknesses in how the Ministry is currently restricted to policy interpretation and
structured in relation to the mandate with application, district-level planning,
which it is charged. Several of the major programming, implementation, monitoring
findings are highlighted below: and evaluation, and closing feed-back loops.
• positions with high supervision Another major factor cited by the study is
density and span of control, the lack of or inadequacy of job descriptions
rendering them ineffective; for many of the positions within the
• supervisors on the same Ministry. This is considered as a serious
organizational level as those they weakness as the report notes,
supervise;
• single individuals being responsible “there can be no effective recruitment and
for major functions or subsectors; succession planning if the qualifications,
• individuals performing tasks either knowledge and experience required to
above or below what their job title perform the job are not identified and there
indicates; can be no effective performance
• entire subsectors subsumed by management where roles and
others; responsibility are not set out with utmost
• lack of rationalization for the number clarity”
of officers assigned to various (Job Classification & Compensation Project,
units/centers; Round-2 Report, 2018).
• inconsistencies in titles and actual
roles and responsibilities performed; The report made several recommendations
• inconsistencies in roles and for revising the structure of the Ministry of
responsibilities for individuals with Education to increase its organizational
the same titles; efficiency and effectiveness.
• inconsistencies in organizational
structure from one district to
another;
• unnecessary specializations in roles
and responsibilities in some areas
and lack of delineation in roles and
responsibilities in areas where it is
needed; and
• insufficient IT support.
One of the major issues highlighted by the

report is the need to clearly delineate what
it calls “head office functions” such as policy
formulation, macro-level planning and
programming, national-level performance
27
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 1.1 Ministry of Education Reform: Becoming Fit for Purpose
Objective: Restructure the Ministry of Education in order to increase its efficiency and
capacity to effectively respond to the needs of the education system.
Expected Outcome: The Ministry of Education will be suitably organized and staffed by
personnel who have the relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes to deliver quality and
responsive education services within an organizational culture that promotes innovation
and accountability.
Key Challenges: unclear mandate, overlaps and gaps in services and roles, skill gaps, poor
channels of communication
Strategic Actions:
1.1.1 Update the mission and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education to
enable better communication and collaboration within the Ministry and greater
efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.
1.1.2 Develop terms of reference for each position, office and area of service to provide
clarity in roles and responsibilities.
1.1.3 Develop a performance-based appraisal and recognition system for Ministry staff
and service teams and address identified professional development needs.
1.1.4 Implement a comprehensive rebranding and communication strategy to build the

Ministry’s public image and capacity to inform and engage internal and external
stakeholders.
1.1.5 Maximize the use of BEMIS and other technologies to modernize and simplify the
Ministry’s processes and services.
28
COST AND FINANCING OF EDUCATION
Belize has one of the highest rates of Figure 14 shows that over the last four fiscal
government expenditure on education in the years, the Ministry of Education received an
world. Figures from the World Bank show average annual budget of BZ$270,000,000.
increasing allocations to education over This is roughly one-fourth of the
recent years, reaching 7.6% of Gross government’s recurrent expenditure and
Domestic Product (GDP) in 2018 as shown in second only to the allocation for the Ministry
Figure 13. of Finance, which includes public debt
servicing and pensions.
FIGURE 13 GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON
EDUCATION AS A PERCENTAGE OF GDP, 2014-2018 FIGURE 14 PORTION OF RECURRENT EXPENDITURE ON
EDUCATION, 2017/18-2020/21
269
264
267
280
BZ$ MILLION
8 7.6
7.3 7.5
6.6 6.9
6
4
2 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21
ACTUAL ACTUAL REVISED BUDGET
0 ESTIMATE ESTIMATE
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Source: World Bank 26.7
24.8
24.8
25.3
As seen in the comparison in Table 10 below,
this rate of spending on education is
%
significantly higher than the average rate in

the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC)
Region and also atypical of similar Upper 2017/18
ACTUAL
2018/19
ACTUAL
2019/20 2020/21
REVISED BUDGET
Middle Income (UMI) countries. ESTIMATE ESTIMATE
Source: Ministry of Finance

TABLE 10 GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION
AS A PERCENTAGE OF GDP BY COUNTRY, 2018
Country/Region % of GDP Table 11 shows the budgeted expenditures
Barbados 4.4 for fiscal year 2020/21. The largest portion
Belize 7.6 of the budget goes to personal emoluments
Costa Rica 7.0 for those teachers whose salaries are paid
Guatemala 3.2 directly by the government; however, all or
Guyana 5.5
a substantial portion of the salaries of other
Honduras 6.1
teachers and school personnel are paid by
Jamaica 5.2
schools from public grants received through
Mexico 4.5
the country’s grant-in-aid system. This
LAC Region 4.5
UMI Countries 4.1 essentially brings the total portion of the
Source: World Bank budget spent on salaries to around 89%.
29
TABLE 11 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION BUDGET tertiary at 10%. Pre-primary, TVET and Adult
EXPENDITURES, 2020/21 Continuing Education combined receive 5%
of the total budget and another 4% goes to
Expenditure Amount % Youth and Sports programs and Library
Type Services. The remaining 9% is used by central
Personal $141,199,185 50.4% administration for planning, monitoring and
Emoluments providing support services to students,
Grants $107,969,105 38.6% teachers and schools.
Training $11,199,317 4.0%
Operating Cost $9,440,960 3.4% Figure 15 shows the changes in budgetary
Contracts & $4,821,722 1.7% allocations to the three major programs of
Consultancies the Ministry and Figure 16 shows the
Materials and $2,434,722 0.9% resulting per capita spending over the period
Supplies 2012/13 to 2019/20. While enrolment in the
Maintenance $1,182,240 0.4% combined pre-primary and primary sectors
Travel and $883,465 0.3% declined by 5% over that period, the budget
Subsistence increased by 29%, resulting in spending of
Public Utilities $765,910 0.3% $1,764.55 per student, a 36% increase. At
Contributions $13,000 0.0% the secondary level, although enrolment
and only increased by 8%, the budget for that
Subscriptions sector grew by 45%, ending with a per capita
Total $279,909,626 100.0% spending of $3,564.33, a 34% increase from
SOURCE: MINISTRY OF FINANCE the start of the period. On the other hand,
although tertiary enrolment grew by 20%,
The remaining funds are used to cover budgetary allocations declined overall by
training, including student scholarships and 1%, resulting in a per capita spending of
financial aid and professional development $2,549.49, a 16% decrease.
for teachers and Ministry staff; materials,
supplies, utilities and various operating FIGURE 15 BUDGETARY ALLOCATIONS BY LEVEL,
expenses for Ministry departments and 2012/13-2019/20
government schools; contracts and
$140,000,000
consultancies, including school meals,
$120,000,000
transportation and examinations; $100,000,000
maintenance of facilities; travel and $80,000,000
subsistence expenses for field work; and a $60,000,000
small portion for contributions and $40,000,000
subscriptions. $20,000,000
$0
The budget is managed through various
programs and cost centers. The primary
education program, with its relatively large Preprimary and Primary Secondary Tertiary
teaching force and student enrolment, gets
Source: Ministry of Finance
the biggest portion of the budget, 45%,
followed by secondary education at 27% and
30
FIGURE 16 PER CAPITA SPENDING BY LEVEL, 2012/13- allocations. A recent study on governance
2019/20 pointed to the lack of accountability for
government funds as one of the major
$4,500.00
$4,000.00
systemic challenges. Despite the substantial
$3,500.00 investments in education, access remains
$3,000.00 inequitable. MICS 2015-16 provided insights
$2,500.00 into disparities based on wealth. As Figure
$2,000.00
17 demonstrates, children from families
$1,500.00
$1,000.00 falling into the lowest wealth quintile are
$500.00 significantly disadvantaged in their levels of
$0.00 participation at the preschool, primary and
secondary levels of education.
Preprimary and Primary Secondary Tertiary

Although the Government of Belize covers
the full salary for teachers in government
Source: Ministry of Finance and government-aided schools at the
primary level and a substantial portion of
Increases in allocations at the pre-primary, salaries for teachers at the secondary and
primary and secondary levels were preschool levels, there are additional factors
influenced by increased numbers of trained that drive up the out-of-pocket expenses for
teachers, as well as union-negotiated salary families. Education regulations give
increases, which resulted in a higher wage proprietors the responsibility of ensuring
bill. However, the major factor driving per that the schools they own have the
capita spending at the secondary level was necessary material resources to deliver
the introduction of a Secondary Finance quality education services. As a result,
Reform initiative which changed the way schools are allowed to raise funds and
secondary schools were funded from a charge fees to supplement public funding.
salary-based to a per-capita formula-based Families need to meet the cost of these fees
system, with additional funding for socio- as well as provide school supplies, uniforms,
economic and academic needs. Failure to and, where not provided publicly, meals and
implement the system as planned and to transportation.
ensure accountability mechanisms were in
place led to unsustainable increases in
FIGURE 17 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BY WEALTH QUINTILE, 2015
95.7% 92.0% 99.6% 94.1% 88.3%
100.0% 75.0% 79.7% 74.0%
44.9%
50.0% 34.6%
0.0%
Preschool First Grade Entry Net Attendance Transition Rate to Net Attendance
Attendance Primary Secondary Secondary
Poorest Richest
Source: MICS5, SIB
31
These expenses place education, particularly Rural children are one of the groups most
at the pre-primary, secondary and tertiary affected by this disparity. The figures in
levels, beyond the reach of some families. Table 12 highlight the significant disparities
The serious implications were highlighted by in attendance between urban and rural
the following respondents from the Out of populations. As shown, urban children are
School Children Initiative Study conducted in far more likely to access early childhood
2017: education, start primary school on time and
attend both primary and secondary school.
“100% would finish Standard 6 but only 10% go
to first form. This year only 6 out of 19 will go Rural primary school children are almost
to high school.” twice as likely to repeat and three times
(School Community Representative) more likely to drop out of school than urban
children. Those who remain in school also
“There are children who have the capacity of
score lower on standardized tests. A similar
excelling but due to financial issues they only
pattern in achievement is seen at the
get to complete their primary education.”
(Principal)
secondary level. The COVID-19 pandemic
has further exacerbated disparities in
“It has been a problem sometimes because education access. As shown in Table 13, rural
when school started my parents did not send students are less likely to have access to
me to school for a week because they did not internet service and digital learning devices
[have] money to buy my school supplies and such as a tablet or computer.
uniforms.” (Student)
(Out of School Children Initiative Study, 2017,

pp. 48-51)
TABLE 12 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BY AREA, 2015
Indicator National Urban Rural

Attendance to Early Childhood Education 54.8% 66.1% 48.1%
School Readiness 63.3% 74.5% 55.3%
Net Intake Rate in Primary 87.7% 95.7% 82.6%
Primary School Net Attendance Ratio 96.3% 98.6% 95.0%
Secondary School Net Attendance Ratio 60.0% 70.1% 53.8%
Source: MICS, SIB
TABLE 13 SCHOOL ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY BY LEVEL AND AREA, 2020
Access to Home Internet Service Access to Digital Device

Education Level Rural Urban Country Rural Urban Country
Preschool 49% 69% 59% 43% 65% 54%
Primary 38% 53% 45% 36% 50% 42%
Secondary 42% 66% 59% 40% 62% 56%
Source: MoE School Readiness Study, June/July 2020; PPRE Unit
32
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 1.2 Education Finance Reform: Getting Value for Money
Objective: Align the Ministry's financial resources and mechanisms with targets for
improved performance, expanded access and increased equity and accountability.
Expected Outcome: The Ministry of Education will have measurable impact on the
social and economic development of the nation through a financing system and
programs that are based on equity, performance and merit.
Key Challenges: budget misalignment, inefficiencies, lack of accountability, high rates

of poverty, inequities in access to services and resources, poor student outcomes
Strategic Actions:
1.2.1 Review and rationalize school financing policies and mechanisms at all levels of
the education system to increase equity and incentivize performance,
achievement and continuous improvement.
1.2.2 Provide free access to education from preschool to junior college.
1.2.3 Establish a Rural Education Grant Fund to increase access to education for
students from rural areas.
1.2.4 Ensure that all students and teachers from Standard 4 to Form 4 have access to
high speed internet or an alternative wireless service and to an appropriate
digital device.
1.2.5 Establish an Audit Unit within the Ministry of Education to ensure

accountability for public funds.
33
Administration and Regulation of the System
The system of education in Belize is and training of the teaching force: 1) the
described as a church-state system since the Belize Teaching Service Commission (BTSC);
majority of educational institutions 2) an Appeals Tribunal; and 3) the Belize
(approximately 60% currently) are owned Board of Teacher Education (BBTE). The
and managed by various religious efficiency, effectiveness and relevance of
denominations. These institutions, along these various bodies have come under
with those owned by the government, scrutiny in recent years due to several issues,
community organizations and private including substantial delays in processing of
entities, are regulated through three legal employment matters, protracted
instruments: 1) the Belize Education and judgements and a perceived lack of impact
Training Act (BETA) of 2010; 2) the Education on system improvement.
Amendment Rules (EAR) of 2012; and 3) the
Education Rules 2000, which was revised in The Act mandates that proprietors appoint
2003. The Act sets the legislative framework Managing Authorities for each of the schools
for the system of governance as shown that they own. These take the shape of
below: either individual local and general managers,
which is the prevailing system at the
The Ministry, under the general direction preschool and primary levels, or groups such
of the Minister, shall work in partnership, as Boards of Management, which is the
consultation and cooperation with typical structure at the higher levels of
churches, communities, voluntary and education. The composition of Boards varies
private organizations, and such other depending on the type of institution, but
organizations and bodies which the generally includes parent, staff, feeder
Ministry may identify and recognize as schools and community representatives with
education partners for the sufficient and school administrators acting in an ex-officio
efficient provision of education in Belize. capacity. The Act gives Managing Authorities
(Section 3.1, BETA, 2010) substantial responsibilities as shown below:
The 2010 Act lays out the terms of reference (a) the proper and efficient organization and
for a National Council for Education (NCE), a management of schools or institutions,
National Council for Technical and (b) the formulation of policies and internal
Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET) regulations for the efficient and effective
and District Education Councils, which are conduct of schooling, student discipline
designed to facilitate stakeholder input into and behaviour, and student attire in
decision-making. Although these advisory accordance with Rules made under this
bodies have been active to varying degrees Act, and
over the last decade, they have not always (c) the adequate provision of such support
been consulted in relation to major policy systems required to deliver appropriate
decisions of the Ministry. education to all students enrolled in
schools under their management.
The Act also introduced three statutory (Section 40.1 BETA, 2010)
bodies aimed at improving the regulation
34
Managing Authorities are also responsible performance of secondary school

for the recruitment and selection of principals,
persons to fill vacant teaching and • Some of the local managers do not have
administrative posts and are able to make sufficient time to dedicate to education
some decisions regarding the release, (Strengthening System Leadership,
transfer and disciplining of teachers. There 2018, pp. 16-17)
are currently no established criteria for the
selection of local and general managers or Approximately 50% of the text of the 2010
board members, beyond belonging to the Act addresses the composition and functions
group that they represent on the board. of national level advisory and statutory
bodies and the establishment of District
A recent study on the system of governance Education Councils. The remaining half
highlighted several challenges with the covers the general functions of the Ministry
current arrangements for management of of Education and Chief Education Officer,
schools, most of which pointed to Teaching Services, Establishment and
Managing Authorities: Management of Schools, Schooling and
School Attendance. Grant-In-Aid, Higher and
• No clear communication policies Further Education and Scholarships and
between Managing Authorities, District Bursaries are only treated briefly. However,
Education Centres and Schools even those sections that are treated more
• Confusion among principals as to whom extensively need to be reconsidered.
they report (Managing Authorities
and/or DECs) The area of school attendance is one
• No accountability for education quality. example. The current Education Act states
While the Ministry has excellent the following:
education initiatives, they cannot hold
principals accountable for ensuring that Every person having control of a child, who
the education is delivered in the is five years old by the first day of September
manner in which it is designed, and who has not exceeded the age of
• Little accountability for the expenditure fourteen, shall cause the child to regularly
of Government funds, and annually attend some public or
• The possibility of undersubscribed nonpublic school… until the child reaches
schools resulting from two or more the age of fourteen years, unless the child
Managing Authorities operating schools has graduated or is excused as provided in
in the same location, sections 60 (2) (a) and 61 (2) (a), (b) and (c).
• Lack of sufficient technical expertise (Section 59, BETA, 2010)
within the Managing Authorities and
School Boards necessary to ensure that
the curriculum and education initiatives
introduced through the Ministry are
executed successfully,
• Lack of sufficient time and expertise
among school board members who are
tasked with overseeing the
35
However, Belize has made national, regional Education Rules and Policies
and international commitments to
The Education Rules are meant to further
compulsory education up to the secondary
articulate the provisions of the Act. The most
level as shown below:
recent one, the EAR of 2012, focuses
Horizon 2030: primarily on recruitment, licensing,
National Development Framework for Belize employment and duties of professional staff
• The most important goal is to provide (teachers and principals). Regulations
regarding the management of schools,
quality education that is free and
including ownership and licensing, facilities
compulsory to at least the secondary
and health conditions, composition and
school level.
functions of School Committees and Boards
of Management, school records, inspections
CARICOM
and financing and areas of schooling such as
Human Resource Development Strategy
curriculum, instruction and certification,
2030
have remained untouched since 2003.
• Provide universal access for enrolment
and completion in Basic Education.
Education Rule 32 from the EAR, 2012, gives
Managing Authorities major responsibilities
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
for the formulation of policies and internal
• By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys
regulations including in the following areas:
have access to quality early childhood
development, care and pre-primary
• curriculum and instruction (including
education so that they are ready for
teaching and learning practices and
primary education
assessment) learning environment and
• By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys
support for students (including
complete free, equitable and quality
discipline, admission, inclusion, health,
primary and secondary education leading
safety and security of staff and students
to relevant and effective learning
including children with disabilities)
outcomes.
• conduct and professional obligations of
the administrative, teaching, support
The effect of outdated legislation such as the and ancillary staff of the school
provisions in the Act for school attendance • physical plant use and maintenance
results in practices that are • use, management and accounting of
counterproductive, as was made clear in this financial resources of the school
comment from an OOSCI respondent: • quality assurance including school self-
evaluation and improvement planning,
“…here in our community, they are well implementation and monitoring.
aware that once the child is 14 years of age
they can stop attending school if they do not The approach to policy development
want to continue or if they are not envisioned is one where the Managing
performing well academically.” Authority consults and engages the school
(Primary School Administrator, OOSCI, administration, teachers and staff, parents,
2017, p. 45) and students and where school policies are
developed in accordance with the policies
36
and directives of the Ministry and with the

Education Act, Rules and other existing
legislation. However, there have been a
number of legal cases where school rules
were found to be in violation of the
constitutional rights of students and
teachers. Notably, one of the functions of
the District Education Councils is to review
school rules and policies for the institutions
in their districts. Additionally, the Handbook
of Policies and Procedures, which should
provide guidance to schools in formulating
their own policies, has not been updated
since 2003. This sometimes results in
incoherent and conflicting policy decisions
and interpretations by schools.
Overall, there are noticeable gaps and

challenges in the current policy and legal
framework, including outdated provisions in
the Education Act, regulations and policies;
the need for provisions to effect greater
accountability in school management and
administration; the rights of parents and a
system to represent their interests; legal
provisions for the inclusion of students with
special needs; and policies and legislation to
address the unique needs of the pre-
primary, 6TVET, tertiary and ACE sectors.
6
For example, there are no provisions for the
composition and function of Boards of Management
of ITVETs or for the duties of Managers of ITVETs.
37
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 1.3 Governance Reform: Strengthening the Foundations
Objective: Strengthen the legislative, regulatory and policy framework for better
outcomes and improved governance and leadership of the education system.
Expected Outcome: The Belize education system will be guided by a comprehensive and
effective policy and regulatory framework that facilitates access, inclusion, quality and
accountability.
Key Challenges: bureaucratic structures and processes, outdated policies, regulation

gaps, unclear roles and responsibilities, minimum monitoring and enforcement of
standards
Strategic Actions:
1.3.1 Conduct a comprehensive review and revision of education legislation, regulations
and policies, including those related to education councils, commissions and
boards, to increase effectiveness in the governance of the education system.
1.3.2 Expand the compulsory school age to include students at the preschool and
secondary levels of education.
1.3.3 Introduce a mechanism for the empowerment and meaningful participation of

parents in school-level and national-level decision-making on education issues.
1.3.4 Establish standards and school monitoring and support systems for pre-primary,
primary and secondary institutions to ensure delivery of quality services and
continuous school improvement.
1.3.5 Ensure that all managing authorities and principals receive relevant leadership
training in areas such as education regulations, clinical supervision, financial
management, school self-assessment and improvement planning.
38
2. Transforming Teaching and Learning
Overview: Curriculum is the foundation of The State of the National Curriculum

education. On the surface, it is comprised of
a list of topics, objectives and strategies that 7Curriculum Development
are used by teachers to deliver content and
Section 53 of the Belize Education and
assist students in developing a prescribed Training Act (2010) gives the Chief Education
set of skills; on a deeper level, it is society’s Officer the authority to “prescribe areas of
way of imparting the knowledge, capacities, study” and “issue curriculum guidelines and
beliefs and attitudes that will lead to a require that courses of study be developed
desired social and economic state. therefrom” for all government and
Therefore, when there is no alignment government-aided preschools and primary
between the curriculum being delivered and schools, secondary schools and ITVETs. The
the aspirations of a country, education Handbook of Policies and Procedures for
becomes irrelevant and national School Services, 2000 includes information
development is compromised. on the philosophical orientation, national
goals, policies and structure of the National
The world changes at a rapid pace and so Comprehensive Curriculum. The Ministry’s
8 Quality Assurance Development Services
what we teach and learn and how we teach
and learn must constantly evolve. This (QADS) is the unit within the Ministry of
reality calls for building adaptability, Education which has been charged with the
innovation and resilience. Therefore, task of articulating the national curriculum at
curriculum, instruction and assessment must the pre-primary, primary and secondary
levels of education.
go beyond rote memory and general
knowledge; they must be designed to
The preschool curriculum that is currently in
promote deep learning, to focus on what
use has been in place since 2006. Work on
students are able to do with the knowledge
revising this curriculum is ongoing. Efforts so
that they acquire and the extent to which
far include the establishment of a preschool
they are able to think critically and to solve
curriculum working group made up of QADS
problems in a healthy, productive and
personnel, preschool teachers and other
sustainable manner. Furthermore,
stakeholders. The group has reviewed the
curriculum, instruction and assessment must
curriculum and recommended a play-based
be aligned to each other, they must
curriculum and instructional methodologies
integrate technology to increase impact, and
that will develop the skills and capacities of
they must be relevant to the needs of
3 and 4 year olds along the physical, social-
students and to national development.
7 8
Mr. John Newport and the staff of the Quality The Employment Training and Education Services
Assurance Development Services made significant (ETES) has program and curriculum responsibilities
contributions to this section of the analysis. for the TVET Sector.
39
emotional, visual, spatial and linguistic respect and understanding of the Belizean
domains. identity.
The Handbook of Policies and Procedures for Over the years, several attempts have also
School Services, 2000 also included a been made to add gardening and agriculture
National Primary Curriculum and Syllabus. into the curriculum. One notable effort was
The syllabus encompassed four areas of the Rural Education and Agriculture Project
studies: (REAP). REAP began in the 1970’s and
expanded to include as many as sixty
1) Area 1: Language (English and Spanish);
primary schools; however, the effort faded
Area 2: Mathematics, Science, Work &
in the 1980’s as external funding ended.
Technology (aspect of technology relating to
Current efforts, in collaboration with the
production); Area 3: Social Studies and
Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and
Personal Development (aspect of personal
Agriculture Organization, involve the
development relating to social/cultural,
establishment of school gardens in
spiritual, economics); and Area 4: The
connection with school feeding programs.
Expressive Arts, Physical Education, Health
(including the physical aspect of personal The most recent national guidance on
development). curriculum has come from the country’s
National Development Framework, Horizon
The current core curriculum at the primary
2030, which suggests the following
level includes eight subjects—English,
strategies to increase the relevance of the
Spanish, Mathematics, Science, Social
curriculum:
Studies, Health and Family Life Education,
Physical Education and Expressive Arts. Educate to Build Character by:
Most primary schools also teach some form • Integrating a strong civic education
of Religion. curriculum to teach leadership, foster
participation and conflict resolution;
Areas of the core curriculum have been Integrating the expressive arts, music,
updated periodically since 2000 to improve sports and physical education
the organization, coherence and hierarchical
sequencing of learning outcomes. The most Educate to build social cohesiveness by:
recent efforts include a comprehensive • Fostering acceptance of Belize’s ethnic
review, streamlining and updating of the and cultural diversity; Exploring and
Mathematics curriculum. There has also demystifying gender awareness and
been comprehensive revisions and gender issues
improvements to the Spanish, Expressive
Educate to emphasize respect and
Arts and Physical Education curricula, which
appreciation for the natural environment
are areas often neglected by schools. There
by:
are also plans to expand and improve the • Re-introducing gardening and agriculture
teaching of African and Mayan history, into the primary and secondary school
which are considered crucial to fostering curriculum; Integrating environmental
education within the school system and
40
providing children with access to Belize’s Curriculum. This led to the development of a
natural wonders through field visits and Profile of the Ideal Secondary School
hands-on experiences. Graduate.
(Horizon 2030, p. 23)
The development of the profile and
curriculum framework are in line with
National curriculum standards for secondary recommendations by UNESCO and the
education were developed in 2004 through International Bureau of Education (IBE). Part
a collaboration with the Central American of this work has been to develop overarching
Integration System (SICA). The effort yielded a and subject specific curriculum frameworks
set of lower secondary national curriculum which define the scope, goals and content of
documents in several subjects; however, a subjects. They also allocate instructional
comprehensive national curriculum has time and provide philosophical guidelines
never been fully developed or implemented related to the subject’s contribution to
at the secondary level. This has led to a wide individual and national development, beliefs
range of subjects and subject content and about knowledge, and key principles of
heavy reliance on examinations syllabi from learning, instruction and assessment. In
the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). addition to the profile, a curriculum for
QADS has been leading an initiative to Belizean Studies was developed and is now
standardize the secondary curriculum. The in its third year of implementation. Work on
first step was the implementation of a completing the development of curriculum
project called Rationalization and in other core subjects continues.
Diversification of the National Secondary
Profile of the Ideal Belizean Secondary School Graduate

The ideal Belizean secondary school graduate will be a national and global citizen, a productive
economic agent and a socio-cultural individual.
As a national and global citizen, he or she will be: patriotic, nationally and globally aware and
responsive; receptive to democracy, citizenship, human rights and diversity; environmentally conscious
and responsible. He or she will be empowered to contribute to national and global communities and
will be imbued with the necessary skills and desires to engage in activities, at the local, national and
global levels, that promote justice and the common good.
As a productive economic agent, he or she will be productive, innovative, diligent, reliable, responsible,
skilled and knowledgeable. Equipped with socio-emotional attributes relevant for the world of work,
he or she will be empowered to earn and contribute to national, regional and international
development and economic growth.
As a socio-cultural individual, he or she will be self-aware, rational; and, socially competent. He or she
will be able to demonstrate a set of individual core values and beliefs that indicate respect for social
norms and values that include tolerance for and acceptance of other’s rights, values and beliefs. He or
she will be empowered to engage in a rational reassessment of and challenge to social norms.
41
Learning Resources becomes a continued revenue stream and so

they are less inclined to update textbooks.
The availability of educational resources
goes hand in hand with curriculum. The The Ministry is seeking alternative solutions.
Ministry of Education has implemented a For example, a Belizean Studies website has
free National Textbook program which been developed with teaching and learning
provides all primary school students with resources for that subject.
access to learning resources. Efforts have
Additional Considerations
been made to align textbooks with the
national curriculum. Some successes have In addition to relevance of the curriculum
been achieved at the primary level with the and availability of resources, there is the
introduction of the My BZ Phonics, My BZ issue of curriculum overload at both the
Math and Living Together textbooks. primary and secondary levels of education.
Alignment of textbooks with the content at Overloading includes having an excessive
other levels and in other subject areas is also number of subjects as well as having an
necessary. excessive number of learning outcomes
within subjects. The result is diminished
There is currently no national textbook returns, possibly evidenced by the poor
program for the secondary level, so high performance on examinations. The solution
schools determine what textbooks and other is to streamline the curriculum while at the
learning resources their students require. same time ensuring that those learning
The result is a wide variety of textbooks outcomes that are key to cognitive,
across the system with varying content, emotional, physical and spiritual
development are embedded and given
quality and costs. A 2020 survey of thirty-five
adequate attention.
high schools found five different textbooks
in use for Math and Science, six different
textbooks in use for English and Social Other critical concerns include the fact that
Studies, seven different textbooks in use for English, which is the official language of
Information Technology, and nine different instruction, is not the first language of the
textbooks in use for Spanish, just among vast majority of students. Training of
those schools. teachers in effective delivery of the
curriculum, training of principals in
Another problem is that schools do not
instructional leadership and proper
normally sell the required textbooks and rely
monitoring of curriculum delivery are also
on the government or private bookstores to
lacking. All of these issues must be
procure and retail them. It is not uncommon
addressed if students are to have a fair
for these books to become available only
chance of achieving the goals and
after classes have started or not to become
aspirations that they, their families and the
available at all. Some high schools have
nation have set and that are articulated in
assisted by making the investment of
curriculum documents.
purchasing and then renting textbooks to
students at a reduced rate. While this lowers
the cost for students, for some schools, it
42
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 2.1 Curriculum Reform: Learning What Matters
Objective: Reform the national curriculum so that students are able to gain the knowledge,
skills, values and attitudes needed for personal and national development.
Expected Outcome: Belizean students will spend their time in school acquiring the
knowledge, skills and attitudes that are needed for their personal development and the
development of the nation.
Key Challenges: unclear purpose of education, curriculum overload, misalignment with

national goals and priorities, outdated content, reliance on examination syllabi,
incoherence between and within levels of education
Strategic Actions:
2.1.1 Develop a National Curriculum Reform Framework, based on International Bureau

of Education and UNESCO standards, to guide the development of national
curriculum at the pre-primary, primary and secondary levels of education with a
focus on student competency.
2.1.2 Use the National Curriculum Reform Framework to streamline the curriculum at
the primary and secondary levels and to allow for in-depth acquisition of the
literacy, numeracy, technological and critical thinking skills needed in the 21st
Century.
2.1.3 Ensure that subjects which promote physical and mental wellness and sustainable
human development, including the expressive arts, physical education, civics,
Belizean, African and Mayan History, gardening, agriculture, environmental
education and entrepreneurship, are integrated into the national curriculum at all
levels.
2.1.4 Develop a National School Portal and learning platform with quality resources for
teachers and students to facilitate remote learning and appropriate
implementation of the national curriculum.
2.1.5 Implement a revised and expanded national textbook program at the primary and
secondary levels of education with free learning resources that are aligned to the
national curriculum.
43
9THE ORIGIN AND STATUS OF NATIONAL ASSESSMENTS
Origins of Student Assessments and payment by results. The role of the

Inspector as examiner and fault finder
The practice of assessing student learning in
changed to that of coordinator, consultant
Belize has existed in some form almost from
and leader. The Jeanes Teacher system of
the inception of schooling in the colony in
school supervision was also introduced.
the early 1800s. These assessments served
several purposes: 1) a political and economic
In 1946, the Primary School Leaving
desire to regulate education, 2) a means for
Examination (PSLE) was instituted as a
improving the education itself, 3) for
certification of students at the end of their credential for primary school leavers
studies, and 4) to select who would proceed (Standard VI) seeking employment or
to access a higher level. In the late 1870’s desiring entrance to secondary schools. The
only 14 schools existed. In 1877, the examinations consisted of tests in verbal
Executive Council of the colony passed the reasoning, English, Mathematics, Social
Regulations of 1877 for the guidance of Studies and Science. In 1964, Belize attained
government-aided schools and as such the self-government and so control of education
church-state system was institutionalized. began to be managed locally. Nationalistic
To motivate the schools to compete and movements pushed to increase secondary
boost attendance, British-based school participation, creating the need to
examinations were administered with have more examinations. At the end of the
schools receiving increased funding as an
primary course in the 1960’s, students sat
incentive based on the number of students
one, two or three examinations: The Primary
passing these exams. The Executive Council
also paid a bonus to teachers based on School Certification Examination, the
student results in the annual examination. Government Scholarship Examination, or
the Common Entrance Examination.
In 1894, the Inspector of schools (also the
In 1965, the Roman Catholic Board of
Secretary to the Board) enacted the Board
Management used a common entrance
Education Rules, 1892. The Inspector paid
examination for all its secondary schools and
grants to schools approved by the Board and
visited schools to inspect and administer employed standardized tests produced by
individual examinations to students. The school testing agencies in the United States.
1935 Easter Report prompted a new In 1969, the Government Scholarship
education policy which ceased individual Examinations were open to Belizeans
examination of students and introduced a between the ages of 11 and 13. The tests
School Leaving Certificate. In 1937, the Dixon consisted of items in verbal reasoning,
report abolished the individual examination English and Arithmetic.
9The Director and Staff of the Examinations Unit (Ms. Luana Sosa, Ms. Shannon Solis, Ms. Lisa Claire and Ms.
Janellie Adolphus) made significant contributions to this section of the analysis.
44
The first 75 candidates in order of merit at the end of Standard III as a tool to assess
were granted scholarship awards. Due to performance in English and Mathematics so
demand, this was eventually increased to that appropriate remediation could take
200 scholarship recipients. In 1973, the place. In 1999, the BNSE was changed to the
Belize Association of Principals of Secondary Primary School Examination (PSE), retaining
Schools (BAPSS) agreed to abolish the the four subject areas: English Language,
multiplicity of admissions examinations to Mathematics, Social Studies and Science, but
secondary schools and to adapt the with a change from norm referenced to
American Common Entrance Examination criterion referenced reporting of results. The
which had previously been used by Catholic PSE was first administered in 2000 and PSE
schools. In 1979, an educational advisor to provides primary school ending certification.
the British Government provided some A few secondary schools use the results for
assistance in the improvement of the admission purposes, while most use the
Primary School Leaving Examination by results to determine need for placement in
training Education Officers in the writing of remedial classes. PSE results are also used by
objective tests aligned to the new curriculum the Ministry to measure the quality of
guides in English, Mathematics, Social education offered by schools and trends in
Studies and Science. performance over time.
The Belize National Examination (BNE), Performance on the PSE has remained
introduced in 1980, was the first attempt to relatively stable over the last ten years. The
replace the Common Entrance Examination. mean scores for both English and Math have
In 1982, the Belize National Selection fluctuated mainly between 50 and 60 points
Examination (BNSE) replaced the BNE. The out of a possible 100 (see Figure 18).
Ministry of Education administered the test,
which was compulsory for all Standard VI FIGURE 18 MEAN PSE SCORES IN ENGLISH AND
students and tested students’ abilities in six MATHEMATICS, 2010-2019
areas: English usage and comprehension, 70.0
Composition, Mathematics, Social Studies,
60.0
Science and Learning Potential. This was
50.0
eventually reduced to only four subjects:
Mean Score
40.0
English Language, Mathematics, Social
Studies and Science. 30.0
20.0
Between 1992 and 1997, the capacity of the
10.0
Assessment and Evaluation Unit was
0.0
strengthened under the Belize Primary
Education Development Project. The BNSE
was revised in 1993 and items were English Math
developed, piloted and administered. The
Belize Junior Achievement Test (BJAT) was SOURCE: EXAMINATIONS UNIT-MOECST
added in 1994 and administered to students
45
Except for the top 25 students, performance consistently low performance and no
on the PSE is not reported publicly. This improvement.
limits the use of the exam for public
decision-making and accountability. Schools Belize has no 10 national standardized
that happen to have a student place in the assessments in place for students in
top 25 tend to be regarded as “quality” secondary or higher levels of education. The
schools by the public. This is reinforced Examinations Unit, however, administers
through ceremonies and media coverage various international and regional
focusing on the top students. Roughly half of examinations annually. The most commonly
the top 25 performers normally come from a sat exam among these is the Caribbean
few private schools in Belize City. Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC)
Government and government-aided schools examination, which is offered in
that perform consistently well with most or approximately 30 subject areas. Most high
all of their students achieving passing scores, school students take one or more CSEC
but who fail to have a student place in the examinations during their final year of high
top 25, do not receive such public school; however, unlike most other
recognition. Caribbean territories, CSEC is not used as an
entry requirement by local tertiary
Attempts to provide a more balanced institutions.
picture of school performance have been
made in recent years. This includes Table 14 shows the number of graded
development of a measure called the School entries (units of subjects taken which were
GPA which takes into account the graded) and the number and percentage of
performance of all students at the school, entries that earned Grades I to III, which are
not just the top performers. The measure considered satisfactory level performance
has been used to recognize schools that (SLP) in CSEC. Over the last six years, an
make significant improvements in student average of 73% of entries earned a
performance. Nonetheless, there has been satisfactory grade.
reluctance to share performance
information publicly on all schools for fear of Similar to the PSE, there are fluctuations
stigmatization of students and schools. The from year to year in the areas of English and
result is very little accountability by schools Math, with students performing better in
for student performance, even those with English than in Math. Figure 19 shows the
TABLE 14 PERFORMANCE ON CSEC EXAMINATIONS, 2014-2019
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Grades I-III 18,878 20,968 24,575 23,768 25,211 23,827
Graded Entries 14,437 15,288 16,790 16,602 19,501 17,696
% SLP 76.5% 72.9% 68.3% 69.9% 77.4% 74.3%
Source: Caribbean Examinations Council
10
The Association of Tertiary Level Institutions in placement of students into college Math and English
Belize (ATLIB) offers an exam in Math and English courses.
which is used by some tertiary institutions for
46
percentage of students who earned Grades student learning. In response to the need to
I, II, or III) on the English A and Mathematics assess learning loss due to COVID-19 school
CSEC Examinations. Of note, in 2019, while closures in 2020, the Belize Diagnostic
the vast majority of final year primary Achievement Test (BDAT) was expanded to
school students (96%) took the PSE, only include tests at every level from Infant I to
74% of final year secondary school students Std. VI. The tests were to be administered at
took the English A CSEC exam and 72% of
the start of the 2020-21 school year;
them took the Math exam. As is the case
however, schools remained closed for much
with the PSE, top students and schools are
recognized, but school-based performance of that school year.
is not reported publicly. Both the PSE and CSEC have been criticized
as being outdated and irrelevant, placing too
FIGURE 19 PERCENTAGE OF SITTERS WITH SLP ON much pressure on students and teachers,
CSEC ENGLISH A AND MATH, 2010-2019 and even causing damage to the self-esteem
of students and the reputation of schools.
90.0
Ensuring that national examinations are
80.0
aligned to changes in the national curriculum
70.0
and to the expected learning outcomes at
60.0
% of Students
each level of education are also areas of

50.0
concern. There are no clearly defined end-
40.0
of-program benchmarks. These would serve
30.0
to define the expected level of achievement
20.0
at the end of the primary, lower secondary
10.0
and upper secondary levels and would
0.0
provide the basis on which relevant
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
assessments could be developed.

English A Math
Advocates for a discontinuation of the PSE
Source: Caribbean Examinations Council and CSEC exams have argued for them to be
replaced with school-based examinations or
Recent developments in the area of more authentic types of measures such as
measurement and evaluation include the successful transition to and performance in
preparation of more detailed diagnostic further education and employment. Despite
reports for schools based on BJAT and PSE the criticisms, standardized assessments do
results, the publication of a manual to guide have a role in tracking system improvements
schools in using diagnostic data for (or lack thereof) and in making regional and
improvement planning and intervention, international performance comparisons. The
ability to make such determinations though,
and the introduction of a new test, the Belize
depends on the design and quality of the
Diagnostic Achievement Test (BDAT. The
exam and the strategic use of examination
BDAT is intended to give teachers and school results for decision-making.
administrators information on how well
their interventions have worked to improve
47
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 2.2 Assessment for Learning: Measuring What Counts
Objective: Create a quality and relevant assessment and examination system that is
aligned to the national curriculum and that provides meaningful information for
improvements in teaching and learning.
Expected Outcome: Belizean students will participate in a fair, valid system of

assessments that allows for improvement, certification and verification of their
competencies and level of achievement.
Key Challenges: misalignment between curriculum, instruction and assessment, low

quality of examinations, inadequate use of examination results
Strategic Actions:
2.2.1 Develop a national student assessment policy and scheme for the Belize
education system, including a mechanism for the effective use of assessment
results to impact education policies and practices at both the school and system
levels.
2.2.2 Strengthen the expertise within the Curriculum and Assessment Unit to develop
quality diagnostic and standardized assessments.
2.2.3 Upgrade the technology and infrastructure used in the administration and
analysis of examinations to improve timeliness and usefulness of results.
2.2.4 Develop a suite of appropriate screening tools, diagnostic tests and standardized
examinations that are aligned to national curriculum benchmarks at all levels and
in accordance with the new assessment policy and scheme.
2.2.5 Develop teacher resources and provide training to teachers in administering

screening tools and diagnostic tests and in the use of appropriate assessment
strategies to promote learning.
48
11 DEVELOPMENT AND STATUS OF TEACHER EDUCATION IN BELIZE
Teacher training in Belize began in 1954 Five junior colleges now offer Associate
with the establishment of two institutions, degrees and certificates in teacher
the St. John’s Teachers’ College and St.
education. The University of Belize offers
George’s Teachers’ College. Prior to the
establishment of these institutions there the AAPE, a Bachelor’s degree in Primary
were limited in-country training Education, several Bachelor’s degrees in
opportunities. In 1965, the two colleges Secondary Education with subject
merged to form the Belize Teachers’ concentrations, and a Diploma in Education
Training College (BTTC). From 1965 to 1991, for secondary school teachers. The
BTTC offered the ‘Two Plus One’ Certificate
institution also recently added a Master’s
Program for primary school teachers, which
Degree in Educational Leadership and has
included one year of internship. That
program was replaced with a three-year delivered two European Union-funded
Certificate in Teaching Program (Level I and teacher education projects, one targeting
Level II), part of which was delivered teachers in the “banana belt” in the south
through distance learning. In 2000, the and the other for teachers in the “sugar
BTTC was merged with four other belt” in the north. Bachelor’s and Master’s
institutions to establish the University of
degree programs in teacher education are
Belize (UB). UB thus became the single local
provider of teacher education programs in also now available through Galen University
the country. and online through the University of the
West Indies Open Campus.
To increase the number of trained teachers
at the primary level, the Ministry of Figure 20 shows that there has been a
Education supported the development and significant increase in the level of trained
delivery of an Associate of Arts in Primary
teachers over the last 15 years. Between
Education Program (AAPE) in junior
colleges. The AAPE was piloted by St. John’s 2005 and 2019, the percentage of trained
College Junior College in 2003 and was teachers rose from 8.9% to 57.8% at the
subsequently rolled out to other preschool level, from 46.7% to 86% at the
institutions across the country. Three primary level, and from 34.2% to 69.5% at
additional programs were subsequently the secondary level.
developed: 1) a 12 Certificate in Primary
Education, 2) an Associate Degree in Early
Childhood Education, and 3) a Certificate in
Early Childhood Education. Leadership
certificate programs for primary and
secondary school principals have also been
developed.
11
The Director, Mrs. Jeannie Garbutt-Franklin and Staff of the Teacher Education and Development Services
made significant contributions to this section of the analysis.
12
The certificate and diploma programs are designed for persons with degrees in areas other than education.
49
FIGURE 20 PERCENTAGE OF TRAINED TEACHERS BY principals play in providing clinical

LEVEL, 2005/06-2019/20 supervision and support for teachers and
100.0% managing school improvement efforts are
90.0% recognized.
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0% The progress made in increasing the
40.0% number of trained teachers in the system is
30.0%
20.0% sometimes overshadowed by criticisms of
10.0%
0.0%
the quality of teachers, of teacher training
programs and of the institutions offering
those programs. The Belize Board of
preprimary primary secondary Teacher Education (BBTE) has the
responsibility for assuring the quality of
teacher education and training programs.
This task is supported by the Ministry’s
The increase in the percentage of trained
Teacher Education and Development
teachers came as a result of the expansion
Services (TEDS) unit which was established
of and increased access to teacher
in 2006. Development of Standards of
education programs, as well as the
Practice for Teachers and Teacher
introduction and enforcement of legislation
Education Programs started in 2010, but it
and regulations for teacher licensing. The
was not until 2016 that these were
Education and Training Act, 2010,
formalized. The Standards are now under
established the Belize Teaching Services
review for alignment with regional
Commission (TSC), whose functions include
standards. In a recent evaluation of the
the enforcement of standards for entry into
AAPE program, researchers concluded that
the teaching profession. The Education
the AAPE did contribute to the growth in
Amendment Rules 2012 provided further
certified teachers as was intended. Interns
guidance regarding requirements for the
and graduates also felt that the program
licensing of teachers. Teachers were initially
had adequately prepared them to teach.
provided with a grace period to comply with
However, the same study found several
requirements and in 2016 legal instruments
weaknesses in the program and how it is
were passed to give teachers who met
being delivered. These include the
certain criteria additional time to become
following:
compliant. The TSC has since enforced
• omissions, gaps, and weaknesses in
licensing requirements, resulting in some
coverage of several Standards of
untrained teachers losing their jobs. Performance;
Requirements for leadership certification of • weak coherence and integration
principals and vice-principals are also now across courses and with the
being enforced, as the crucial roles that National Primary Curriculum;
50
• insufficient and unclear attempted to do so through the Education

documentation of policies and Quality Improvement Project (EQIP).
guidelines; Between 2015 and 2019, teachers and
• limited exposure to a variety of school administrators in about 50% of
authentic classroom settings and government and government-aided
insufficient opportunities for primary schools were trained in inquiry and
gaining authentic teaching problem-based pedagogy. The long term
experience especially in multi-grade impact of such programs on teaching
settings; practices and student outcomes is yet to be
• insufficient modeling of a variety of determined. The Ministry has also tried to
assessment strategies by strengthen the skills of newly qualified
instructors; teachers through the introduction of a one-
• inadequate qualifications and year induction program which provides
experience by program instructors them with mentoring and support.
and supervisors; and Teachers with an AAPE or Certificate in
• insufficient resources for teacher Primary education who successfully
educators to deliver the program complete the program are moved from pay
scale 9 to 12. However, on average, only 60
Principals indicated that graduates of the teachers enroll in the induction program
AAPE did not sufficiently demonstrate the annually.
“competencies (knowledge, skills, and
dispositions) outlined in the graduate The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the
profile and effective grasp of content and need for teachers to be versed in areas such
pedagogy in the four core areas of the as the use of digital platforms, applications,
NPC”. The researchers also concluded that and devices, but there are long standing
“the programs’ goal of preparing teachers challenges that need to be addressed as
for all divisions in the primary schools and well. The poor performance of students in
with preparing them with the knowledge, core subject areas such as Math and English
skills, and dispositions to deliver the was already mentioned. The disparity in
primary curriculum were not met.” The education attendance between urban and
study also indicated that the program may rural populations was discussed as well.
have already achieved market saturation, Rural primary school students are also
given the large number of graduates not in outperformed by their urban counterparts
the system and the steady decline in the on examinations. Although these results
number of students pursuing the program. may be influenced by the greater levels of
poverty found in rural areas, the prevalence
The fact that the vast majority of primary of multi-grade schools in rural areas and the
school teachers are already trained means inadequate preparation of teachers to
that addressing the identified shortcomings teach in such settings could be important
must be done, not only through revision of contributing factors as well.
current teacher education programs, but
through targeted and impactful in-service
and continuing professional development
courses. The Ministry of Education recently
51
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 2.3 Teacher Development: Elevating the Profession
Objective: Transform teacher education and development programs and incentivize

quality teaching practices and performance results for improved student learning.
Expected Outcome: Belizean teachers will have the knowledge, skills and attitudes
needed to support students in acquiring high levels of literacy, numeracy, critical thinking
and personal and interpersonal skills.
Key Challenges: outdated pedagogy, shortage of quality and relevant professional

development opportunities, lack of incentives for good performance
Strategic Actions:
2.3.1 Upgrade the teacher education programs at all levels to ensure that teachers have
the specialized content knowledge and pedagogical skills needed to deliver the
national curriculum effectively to all students.
2.3.2 Ensure that teachers at the pre-primary, primary and secondary levels of
education and teacher educators and professional development facilitators are
appropriately trained.
2.3.3 Establish a Teacher Learning Institute to provide structured, comprehensive, year-

round professional development programs based on identified needs of teachers
and school leaders.
2.3.4 Establish a STEAM Laboratory School to promote effective and innovative

teaching in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.
2.3.5 Revise the appraisal system for teachers and school leaders and introduce a
performance-based incentive system to promote school improvement and
student achievement.
52
3. Prioritizing Underserved Sectors
Overview: Despite the gains in increasing and development (ECCD) and

access to education for Belizeans over the encompasses early childhood education
last several decades, access to quality (ECE), early childhood care and
early childhood education, special education (ECCE), and other
education and student support services designations.
remains relatively low. The Out-of-School (Naudeau et al. 2011)
Children Initiative (OOSCI) Study, 2017,
found that children who are out of school The importance of ECD to long term
in their preschool and early primary years educational, social and economic
were mostly rural, poor and disabled development is well established.
children. The percentage of trained Adequate provision of ECD services
teachers serving these areas is also less requires an integrated and
than at the primary and secondary levels multidisciplinary approach. It is for this
and while there have been recent and reason that the Ministry of Education
ongoing efforts to address the curriculum collaborated with the ministries
at the primary and secondary levels, not as responsible for health and human
much attention has been paid to development to implement the National
addressing those needs in the early ECD Strategic Plan 2017-2021. The
childhood and special education sectors. Ministry of Education’s particular role is in
The education system must address these the area of ECE, which serves the 3 to 8-
currently underserved sectors and year age group and spans the preschool
students to achieve the goals of universal (Year 1 and 2) to lower primary (Infant 1 to
quality education. Standard 1) education grades.
13 STATUS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Access and Equity

Preschool education in Belize is a two-year
The term Early Childhood Development non-compulsory program designed for
(ECD) refers to children from two years and nine months
of age to four years and nine months of
the physical, cognitive, linguistic, and age. Most of the schools serving this
socio-emotional development of young sector are government-aided and private
children. The definition of ECD includes preschools. Some 62% of preschools are
children up to age 8 on the premise that attached to a primary school. In the 2019-
a successful transition to primary school 20 school year, there were 229 preschools
depends not only on the child’s school country-wide with a total enrolment of
readiness, but also on the readiness of 14 7,312 students. This translates into a
schools to adapt to the specific needs of Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 46.6%.
young learners in the early grades. ECD
13
The Staff of the Early Childhood Unit, Mrs. Lurleen 14
Preliminary figures for the 2020-21 school
Betson-Gamboa, Ms. Nadera Ross and Ms. Rosiemae year show that enrolment is down to 5,347
Mangar, made significant contributions to this students, a 26% decline, the highest of any
section of the analysis. education sector during the pandemic.
53
Trends show that parents are almost schools and also has a free text-book and
15 four times more likely to send 4-year a free school transportation program in
olds to school than they are to send 3-year place. At the preschool level, government
olds. Data also show that participation also pays the salaries for teachers at
rates of children belonging to urban and government and government-aided
higher socioeconomic status households schools. Additionally, a grant to assist with
are much higher than for those children school snacks and other operational costs
from rural and lower socioeconomic status is provided to 62% of preschools. There is,
households. One of the contributing however, no regulation on the amount of
factors is that there are no preschools in fees that preschools can charge.
some rural communities. The low
population density in some areas makes The result is a wide variation in preschool
establishment of preschools impractical. registration and monthly fees. The
As a result, only parents who are able or Preschool Status Report, 2020, found
willing to bear the cost of traveling to average fees ranging from as low as $28
neighboring communities with preschools for registration and $9 monthly, in
can access such services. attached government preschools, to as
high as $185 for registration and $360,
Participation in lower primary is much monthly in attached private preschools.
higher than participation in preschools, High fees create a barrier to access for
with the vast majority of students entering poor families in communities where the
primary school by the age of five. number of preschools is limited.
Nonetheless, students from rural areas,
poor households and those with Quality
disabilities are much more likely to start
Information on the quality of early
late. The OOSCI Study, 2017, found that
childhood education is currently lacking,
one of the reasons for late entry,
since there are no established standards
particularly in rural areas, is that
of quality for early childhood education
sometimes there are insufficient spaces in
institutions or programs and there is no
the primary schools closest to where
formal student assessment reporting
students live. These students are also less
system in place. The only available
likely to be prepared for primary school
information on the developmental status
having not gone to preschool, placing
of 3 and 4-year-old children comes from
them at increased risk for repetition and
the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey
dropout.
(MICS). MICS calculates a measure called
the Early Childhood Development Index
As was discussed previously, one of the
(ECDI). The index measures whether
major barriers to school attendance is
children are developmentally on track in
cost. At the primary level, the government
four areas:
of Belize pays the salaries of teachers at
government and government-aided
15
In 2019/20, only 18% of enrolled students were
3-year olds, 66% were 4-year olds and 16% were
5-years or older.
54
• Literacy-numeracy: ability to conducted in preparation for the Preschool

recognize letters and numbers; Status Report, 2020, revealed the following:
• Physical well-being: health and
mobility; • 90% of the preschools have access to
• Social-emotional well-being: both the Level 1 and Level 2
ability to focus and get along with Preschool Curriculum Guides
peers; and produced by the Ministry;
• Learning: ability to follow • only 60% of the schools had updated
directions and do tasks annual and unit plans readily
independently etc. available;
• in many instances, teachers only
Results from the two most recent MICS,
developed lesson plans for Level 2
2011 and 2015, are shown in Table 15 below.
It shows that ECDI was greater in 2011 than students and used those same plans
in 2015. Children fell behind in the physical, for Level 1 students;
socio-emotional and learning domains but • in some instances, lesson plans were
made gains in the literacy-numeracy incomplete; and
domain. Even so, the data indicate that only • alternate curricula such as,
52.5% of children scored adequately in that Montessori and ELLM, are in use,
domain. mainly in private schools
concentrated in the Belize, Cayo, and
The preschool curriculum that is currently in Stann Creek districts.
place was implemented in 2006. Field visits
TABLE 15 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT INDEX, 2011 AND 2015
Literacy- Physical Social- Learning ECDI

numeracy Emotional
2011 45.9 99.0 78.5 98.4 87.5
2015 52.5 96.8 76.9 93.3 82.5
Source: MICS, SIB
TABLE 16 NUMBER OF TRAINED AND UNTRAINED PRESCHOOL TEACHERS BY DISTRICT, 2019/20

Trained
District Untrained Total
ECE Other
Belize 27 32 77 136
Cayo 0 37 42 79
Corozal 10 29 8 47
Orange Walk 4 35 4 43
Stann Creek 3 29 30 62
Toledo 0 32 13 45
Total 44 194 174 412
55
The Ministry has recognized the need to include accommodations for students with
update the 2006 curriculum to prioritize special education needs, appropriateness of
play-based instructional learning and to playground and other educational spaces
incorporate new research-based and outdoor security. It must also be noted
improvements in content and approaches. that, though not the majority, there are
Equally important is ensuring that teachers some preschools that are too overcrowded
are appropriately trained to deliver such a and some that have facilities that are in dire
curriculum. Education regulations allow for need of repairs and renovations.
early childhood teachers in preschools and
The current arrangements for coordinating,
lower division of primary schools to hold
monitoring and supporting early childhood
degrees in Primary Education. Therefore,
education also need attention. The Ministry
although 58% of preschool teachers are
has an Early Childhood Education
counted as trained, only 11% have actual
Development Center which falls under the
qualifications in ECE (see Table 16). At the
Quality Assurance Development Services
lower primary level, 82% of teachers are
(QADS). The Centre is staffed by three
trained but only 2% have a degree in ECE.
officers with Master’s degrees in Early
Although the regulations stipulate that ECE Childhood Education who coordinate much
teachers without an ECE degree must of the national-level tasks and inter-
supplement that shortcoming through ministerial activities. Each District Education
professional development courses in ECE, Centre also has an ECE officer whose primary
this provision is not currently enforced. The task is to supervise preschools. This
result is that these teachers may not have arrangement results in wide disparities in
the appropriate knowledge, skills and workloads for ECE officers. The number of
orientation and instead use strategies more preschools to supervisor is 26 to 1 in the
appropriate for older children. Principals, Orange Walk District but doubles to 52 to 1
especially those in primary schools that have in the Belize District. This limits the
attached preschools, have to guard against frequency of contact and quality of support
preschool and lower division instruction that can be provided. Additionally,
becoming more academically inclined responsibility for policy development in the
instead of play-based. sector needs to be clarified and
collaboration between officers in the ECEDC
The availability of appropriate facilities for
and DEC in coordinating ECE services can be
the delivery of early childhood programs is
improved.
another important consideration. Field visits
conducted in preparation of the Preschool
Status Report found that buildings and
classrooms, classroom spaces, bathroom
units, hand-washing facilities, potable water
supply and electrical installations were
mostly adequate and appropriate for
delivery of services. Areas found inadequate
56
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 3.1 Early Childhood Education: Starting Strong
Objective: Implement early childhood policy and curricular reform and expand services
in underserved areas to increase access to quality early childhood education.
Expected Outcome: All Belizean preschool-aged children will have access to quality
preschool programs and services.
Key Challenges: limited access in rural areas, absence of standards, outdated curriculum,
lack of public awareness of the importance of early childhood education, limited
coordination, monitoring and support
Strategic Actions:
3.1.1 Collaborate with relevant line Ministries to develop an updated national policy
for Early Childhood Education and Development in Belize.
3.1.2 Establish a comprehensive, play-oriented preschool and lower primary education

curriculum which includes reading, visual arts, dancing, planting, music, civics and
an introduction to technology.
3.1.3 Expand access to preschool education for 3 and 4 year olds by building new
preschools and attaching preschools to existing primary schools where possible.
3.1.4 Develop alternative preschool programs in areas where traditional preschools

are not feasible.
3.1.5 Develop an ECE public awareness campaign with key messages including the
importance of early childhood stimulation, education and development.
57
16 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES through a school cafeteria or lunch program.

Most programs rely on donations from
Social and economic factors can produce parents, teachers, community organizations
negative impacts on student learning, or religious groups.
retention and achievement. Therefore, to be
successful, the education system must be In 2011, the Ministry of Education
able to identify and respond, not only to the established a free school meals program in
academic needs of students, but to their conjunction with the amalgamation of
social, emotional and economic needs as several primary schools in the Belize River
well. Several programs currently exist within Valley. One of the effects of the
the MoECST that are aimed at addressing amalgamation was that students who
these issues; however, there is much room traditionally went home for lunch were no
for improvement in terms of their coverage longer able to do so if the school they were
and effectiveness in meeting the needs of attending was in another village. The
students. There is also a need for increased program was expanded in 2013 to include 25
collaboration with other Ministries and primary schools in Belize City and 6 schools
social partners, since some of the challenges in Dangriga Town. Approximately 1,300
and solutions are beyond the mandate and students benefited from the program
capacity of the MoECST. annually. The program was intended to
alleviate short-term hunger, decrease
School Feeding Programs absenteeism, improve student performance
and assist children in making better food
“Many of the students come to school with choices. An evaluation of the impact of this
no food, they come with their stomach program is pending.
empty. That is one of the reasons they get
discouraged because when they have to
More recent developments to increase
work and study with no food in the stomach
coverage include several initiatives in
it is so hard.” (Teacher)
partnership with the Ministries of Health and
(Out of School Children Initiative Study,
Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture
2017, pp. 48-51)
Organization (FAO). Results of this
collaboration include:
Around half (47%) of primary schools and
• publication of a guidebook called
almost all high schools offer some type of
National Menus for School Feeding
feeding or nutrition support program, but in
Programs;
most cases, this is only for a limited number
of students and do not cover all who are in • implementation and expansion of a
need. These programs usually consist of one school feeding and gardening
meal, usually lunch, which is provided either program that includes the purchase
of kitchen equipment, training,
construction of greenhouses and
purchase agreements with local
farmers in several rural schools; and
16
The Director, Dr. Candy Garnett, and Staff of the Young made significant contributions to this section
Education Support Services, including Ms. Kalee of the analysis.
58
• establishment of a National The MoECST has a small Counselling and

Sustainable School Feeding Technical Care Unit (CCU) which is responsible for
(NSSFT) Committee. addressing issues related to healthy
behavior and mental health of primary
school children. One of the main areas of
The goals of the NSSFT are to reduce and
focus for the CCU is supporting schools in
prevent hunger, obesity and other forms of developing positive systems of behavior
malnutrition in vulnerable children and to management and support, especially since
help keep such children in school. The NSSFT the abolition of corporal punishment in
Committee plans to provide guidance and schools in 2010. The CCU’s response has
support for the expansion of school feeding, been to help schools employ a school-wide
gardening and nutrition education approach to manage student behavior using
programs. Expansion of this program to a Positive Behaviour Interventions and
meet the needs of all students and Supports (PBIS) System. PBIS is an approach
communities is a core commitment of the that emphasizes positive and proactive
MoECST and the Government of Belize. behaviour management that respects the
rights and dignity of the child. So far, the
program has reached 39 primary schools and
Psychosocial Support
approximately 14,000 students. Schools
Psychosocial support is another area of great where the program has been implemented
need. The MoECST provides funding for one report decrease in problem behaviour inside
or more counsellors at each secondary and outside of the classroom and increase in
school. A secondary school counsellor’s attendance rates of both teachers and
workload usually includes personal and students. The 17 shortage of human
group counseling as well as the teaching of resources within the CCU has limited the
Life Skills courses and planning of school- expansion of the program.
wide events. The vast majority of primary
The CCU also works closely with the Belize
schools do not have an assigned counsellor.
School Counsellor Association to support
Those primary schools that do have some
access to counselling services are typically and improve the practice of school
served by counsellors who are hired to counselling and directly with schools to
support multiple schools under a particular develop mental health care plans for
school management. The need for students with emotional/behavioral issues.
counselling services at the primary level is Additionally, the Unit organizes the
great given the country’s high levels of crime Ministry’s response to support students and
and violence in homes and the wider teachers in times of crisis and provides, to a
community, the exposure of children to limited extent, individual, small group, and
trauma and abuse, and students’ unmet large group counselling services.
mental health and social needs.
The Ministry has also had small initiatives to
introduce restorative practices and
17
The MoECST currently has one counsellor
employed and one vacancy for a second counsellor
in the CCU.
59
mindfulness in schools. A Mindfulness in Structures for truancy management predate

Schools Program was launched in 2018 in the 2010 Act. The Ministry’s current School
collaboration with local mindfulness Community Liaison and Security Programme
coaches. The two-year program resulted in (SCLSP) has its origin in a Truancy Initiative in
the training of twenty-four teachers and 1998 to address the high rate of non and
counsellors at the primary and secondary irregular school attendance of children 5 to
levels in mindfulness practices. Each teacher
14 years of age. The program employed
was responsible for sensitizing their school
Truancy Officers to monitor, report and
staff and implementing mindfulness projects
in their classrooms in the 2019/20 school assist children found not attending school. A
year. The implementation and evaluation of year later, the security component, in the
the projects were negatively impacted by form of wardens stationed at schools, was
the school closures as a result of the COVID- added following a series of child abductions
19 pandemic. and murders. The SCLSP seeks to “ensure
that all school-aged children living in Belize
School Community Liaison and Security attend safe and secure schools regularly so
Program as to provide themselves with the
As noted previously, Section 61 of the opportunity to learn and participate
Education and Training Act 2010 makes legal constructively in the development of Belize
provisions for school attendance. The Act as well as their own personal development”.
also provides for the appointment of School
There are currently 19 SCLOs and
Community Liaison Officers (SCLOs) and lays
approximately 200 school wardens. The
out the primary duties of such officers. These
include reporting on parents of children of majority of school wardens (75%) work in
compulsory school age who are not Belize City. The caseload of SCLOs (see Table
registered or regularly attending school 17) and the qualifications and training of
without a justifiable reason as provided for both SCLOs and school wardens are matters
in the Act and enforcing the provisions of the of concern. Most SCLOs hold a high school
Act including prosecuting those who are not diploma as their highest level of
in compliance with attendance provisions. qualification, although their duties include
high level tasks such as interpreting
legislation, navigating the legal process,
TABLE 17 DISTRIBUTION OF SCLOS BY DISTRICT

District # SCLOs # of primary # of primary # of schools # of students
schools students per SCLO per SCLO
Belize 7 68 15,300 10 2186
Cayo 2 75 17,009 38 8505
Corozal 2 42 7,607 21 3804
Orange Walk 2 42 9,125 21 4563
Stann Creek 4 34 7,258 9 1815
Toledo 2 56 7,587 28 3794
Source: Records Office, MoECST
60
communicating with sensitivity and writing Additional Programs

reports. School wardens typically hold
Schools have benefited from a number of
minimum qualifications such as a primary additional school-based and community-
school certificate. Both SCLOs and wardens based programs. One such program was the
receive limited training for the duties that Early Warning and Responsive Management
they perform. There is also a wide variation System (EWS) which was launched in 2015.
in the number of SCLOs serving the districts The EWS was a UNICEF-funded program
and no clear rationale for the allocation of involving the Ministries of Education, Human
officers by number of schools or students Development and the RESTORE Belize unit.
and the prevalence of truancy. Of note, the EWS was designed to ensure early
Cayo District, to which only 2 SCLOs are identification and support of students at-risk
assigned, has had the highest primary school of dropping out of primary school. The
dropout rate over the last two years. program used a whole-school approach and
an Attendance, Behaviour, and Coursework
Resources for monitoring, such as fuel and (ABC) framework to identify students at risk
transportation to access remote rural areas, and to provide the necessary support for
are also limited. In recent years, several of them to remain in school. Interventions
the SCLOs have participated in exercises to included instructional support, counselling
assist schools in updating student data in the and material support. There was also a
family support component. The program
BEMIS database. This is a potential useful
eventually reached 5 schools in Belize City. In
resource for the SCLOs; however, few
2017, responsibility for coordination of the
schools are currently using the attendance
program moved from RESTORE Belize to the
feature of BEMIS. As well, teachers and Ministry of Education.
principals, who have a legal responsibility to
report absences, do not always comply with As mentioned previously, being male is a
this requirement. The use of BEMIS and a primary determinant of risk for school
proactive approach from schools would dropout. Females tend to perform
reduce the need for SCLOs to visit schools substantially better than males in school and
and lead to early identification and more on examinations. Figure 21 shows that
timely response by SCLOs to truancy cases. males also have much higher repetition and
There is also no case management software dropout rates than females at both the
or formal system in place that links truancy primary and secondary levels of education
and are twice as likely as females to repeat
with police or social services departments.
in high school. Creating a supportive
These links are especially crucial in areas
environment for boys through appropriate
such as refugee communities, popular curriculum design, delivery and assessment
tourist destinations, farming communities is critical not only for boys but for the
and impoverished urban areas, where child education system and the country as a
labour, child sexual exploitation and use of whole. The goals and vision for education
children in illicit drug activities are more cannot be accomplished if boys continue to
prevalent. be left behind.
61
One notable UNICEF-funded student youths. G.R.E.A.T originated in the United

support program from RESTORE Belize, States and has been implemented in several
called Metamorphosis, attempted to Central American countries. The program is
provide such an environment. The program coordinated by the Police Department and
focused exclusively on high risk adolescent delivered by community police officers
males and their families living in gang- trained through the U.S. Embassy’s
affected communities in Belize City. It International Narcotics and Law
provided participants with individual Enforcement Affairs section. The program,
counselling, remedial academic classes, which uses a skill-based curriculum, targets
mentorship, extracurricular activities, and children who are at an age immediately
retreats. Additionally, there were parenting before the usual induction into gangs and
sessions, social work support for families delinquent behavior. Over 200 officers and
and regular home visits. Meetings and more than 17,000 primary school students
training sessions with school personnel benefited from the program by 2018.
were also conducted to increase support for
the boys at school. By 2018, three cohorts Several of the programs that have been
of students had completed the program. described continue but on a much reduced
scale. Although programs of these types are
The Gang Resistance Education And Training clearly needed, sustaining and expanding
(G.R.E.A.T.) Program was another effort coverage requires dedicated allocations of
aimed at reducing gang activity by early human and financial resources.
intervention and engagement of vulnerable
FIGURE 21 SECONDARY REPETITION AND DROPOUT RATES BY GENDER, 2014/15-2018/19
9.0 9.0
Repetition Rate Dropout Rate
8.0 8.0
7.0 7.0 6.8

6.5
6.0 6.0 6.2 6.0
6.0 5.8 5.8 5.7
5.0 5.0 4.9
4.4
4.0 4.0
3.0 3.0
2.0 2.0
1.0 1.0
0.0 0.0
2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19
Male Female Total Male Female Total
62
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 3.2 Student Welfare: Reducing Vulnerability
Objective: Provide resources and programs to support students with social, economic
and psychosocial challenges.
Expected Outcome: All Belizean children with socio-economic and psychosocial needs
will be identified and appropriately supported.
Key Challenges: high rates of poverty among children, shortage of school counselors,
child abuse and trauma, weak links with social services, dropout and
underperformance of boys
Strategic Actions:
3.2.1 Establish a National Healthy Start Feeding Program with a school gardening
component to provide nutritional support for students from low income
families.
3.2.2 Increase the availability of trained school counsellors at the primary level to
address the psychosocial needs of students.
3.2.3 Design and implement school-wide programs that promote social and emotional
learning and encourage positive discipline and restorative practices at school
and in the home.
3.2.4 Work with social service organizations to strengthen the system for identifying
and supporting children with social barriers to inclusion and learning, including
refugees, students living in poverty and those from remote rural areas.
3.2.5 Design and implement support programs that target increased retention and
achievement of students in primary and secondary schools, with particular
attention to boys.
63
18 SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES assistive technology. Students with special

education needs (SEN) may be
The Ministry of Education’s mission states accommodated in special schools, in special
that “All Belizeans should be given the classrooms attached to traditional schools,
opportunity to acquire those knowledge, or in traditional classrooms that
skills and attitudes required for full and accommodate both SEN and non-SEN
active participation in the development of students. This latter arrangement promotes
the nation and for their own personal inclusive education which UNESCO defines
development”. Belize is a signatory to the as “a process of addressing and responding
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as to the diversity of needs of all learners
well as the Convention on the Rights of through increasing participation in learning,
Persons with Disabilities. Meeting these cultures and communities, and reducing
obligations requires that appropriate exclusion from education and from within
systems and services are put in place to education”.
accommodate students who are
disadvantaged in some way. The Education The Education Support Services (ESS) arm of
Act and Rules do not include a definition for the Ministry is responsible for coordinating
Special Education, but the concept currently the provision of such services. ESS supervises
in use aligns with the definition from the four units: 1) National Resource Center for
International Standard Classification of Inclusive Education (NaRCIE), 2) Counseling
Education (ISCED) which is as follows: and Care Program, 3) School Health and
Nutrition Program, and 4) School
Education designed to facilitate the Community Liaison and Security Unit.
learning of individuals who, for a wide Services offered through NaRCIE include:
variety of reasons, require additional • academic assessments to identify
support and adaptive pedagogical methods learning needs;
in order to participate and meet learning • support to teachers in developing
objectives in an educational programme. learning intervention plans and
(ISCED, 2011) inclusive education programs;
• training of teachers in learning how
Students requiring special education to assess students’ level of
services include those with physical, performance and specialized
behavioural, intellectual, emotional and methods to help students succeed at
social disadvantages. These students may their own level;
need support in the form of diagnostic • accommodations for students to sit
services, special education teachers or national and regional exams; and
paraprofessionals, counsellors, modified • various types of support to students
curriculum, individualized education plans or and their parents.
18
The Director, Dr. Candy Garnette, and Staff of the
Education Support Services made significant
contributions to this section of the analysis.
64
Delivering such services requires shows 20 enrolment in special schools and

collaboration with school personnel, classrooms in the 2019/20 school year. The
families, and religious, government and non- majority of students with SEN, though, are
governmental organizations. included in traditional classrooms, both at
the primary and secondary levels of
Access and Enrolment education. Table 19 shows the number of
students who were 21 clients of NaRCIE in
Presently there are two special schools and
2019/20 by category of need and type of
ten schools with one or more 19 special
learning environment.
classrooms across the country. Table 18
TABLE 18 ENROLMENT IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS BY DISTRICT, TYPE AND GENDER, 2019/20
District Name of Institution Type Male Female Total
Belize Stella Maris School Special School 68 36 104
Cayo Garden City Primary Special Classroom 13 4 17
Santa Elena RC Primary Special Classroom 3 5 8
United Evergreen Primary Special Classroom 9 2 11
Corozal Chunox RC Primary School Special Classroom 3 0 3
Mary Hill RC Primary School Special Classroom 9 2 11
San Narciso RC Primary Special Classroom 5 3 8
Orange Walk St. Peter's Anglican Primary Special Classroom 14 10 24
Stann Creek Holy Ghost RC Primary Special Classroom 9 7 16
Toledo Forest Home Methodist Primary Special Classroom 5 1 6
Punta Gorda Methodist Primary Special Classroom 1 2 3
TABLE 19 ENROLMENT OF STUDENTS WITH SEN BY CATEGORY OF NEED AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, 2019/20
Category Special SCH/CR High School Primary School Total
Attention Deficit Disorder/ADHD 6 12 52 70
Autism Spectrum Disorder 37 8 44 89
Deaf/Hard of Hearing 10 6 20 36
Emotional Behavioural/Social Disorder 10 2 12 24
Health Disorder 2 10 17 29
Intellectual Impairment 108 10 66 184
Learning Disability 3 30 131 164
Physical Disability 19 10 37 66
Visual Impairment 3 12 28 43
Pervasive Developmental Disorder 2 4 5 11
Speech Language Disorder 11 0 12 23
Source: NaRCIE, MoECST
19
SEN students in special classrooms spend at least 21
It must be noted that these are likely not all the
part of the day interacting with non-SEN students. students with special education needs in schools and
20 the number of children with special needs who do
An additional 12 students were enrolled in the Cayo
Centre for the Deaf, one of the two special schools. not enter schools is currently unknown.
65
Achievements and Challenges expected to complete the program by the

end of 2021.
Over the past two decades, special
education services have expanded
The Education and Training Act 2010,
countrywide and there has been a change in
mandates that the Ministry of Education
approach from providing separate and
ensures that the provision of education
specialized learning environments for
“caters to the special needs of challenged
students with special education needs to
pupils”. Education Rule 189 (1) also states
providing resources and support to students
that “programs will be designed to meet the
in the least restrictive environment. This
needs of all challenged students” and that
was a paradigm shift and a critical move that
“the education system shall take into
concentrated efforts to promote and
account the special educational needs of
support inclusive education. Other recent
students and shall provide schools with
developments include:
learning environments to address those
needs.” Nonetheless, the educational
• increased access to support services
experience of students with special
for students who are deaf/hard of education needs and their families is often
hearing (such students are now far from this ideal. Some of the more
supported by an interpreter); prevalent challenges are outlined below.
• transition from services being
provided by temporary Itinerant Difficulties Gaining School Entry: Despite
Resource Officers to sixteen the education regulations mandating that
permanently established Special schools accept and accommodate students
Education Officers; regardless of their needs, schools often turn
• identification and training of School parents away when they try to enroll their
Inclusion Coordinators at primary children with disabilities. Parents who are
schools; and not aware of their rights or the support that
• building the capacity of teachers and can be provided through the Ministry of
special education officers through Education often resort to accepting the
formal and informal programs. school’s decision.
In 2019, the Ministry, in partnership with the Inadequate Referral and Diagnosis
University of the West Indies, launched a Processes: A number of factors contribute to
Masters’ Degree Program in Inclusive and students with SEN not being properly
Special Education. The program includes referred and diagnosed, including teachers
courses on learning disabilities, assessment and principals who fail to initiate the referral
of young children with special needs, early process; parents who are unwilling to give
intervention, planning for, and supporting permission for their child to be referred and
infant and toddler development, diagnosed because of denial or shame;
measurement of psychological and failure of Special Education officers to
educational constructs and policy and follow-up with the process due to
practice in inclusive classrooms. There is also unavailability of transportation or
a strong research component. Thirty-six assignments of tasks outside of their core
teachers and Special Education Officers are responsibilities; and the lack of in-house
66
expertise and equipment needed to students to access high-quality learning

diagnose some conditions. environments, individualized support, and
resources in the least restrictive
environment. The overall goals for this
Limited Support at Higher Levels of sector, as for the others, remain focused on
Education: The support provided to high access, equity and quality, which can only be
school students who are deaf/hard of achieved by ensuring that the most
hearing has allowed several of these vulnerable students are given the attention
students to graduate; however, they that they need and deserve.
ultimately face a ceiling when trying to
access tertiary education, since no such
support is provided. Paraprofessional
support is currently limited to interpreters,
so students with other conditions often end
up withdrawing from school.
Lack of Adequate Facilities and Resources:

Most schools are either inaccessible or
inadequate for wheelchairs. Some of the
facilities serving special needs students are
also in a state of disrepair. While NaRCIE
provides or facilitates the donations of some
resources like hearing aids and glasses,
educational devices which could improve
the learning experiences for students with
SEN are often lacking. Finances to procure
such devices or to hire paraprofessionals to
assist children are beyond the reach of many
families.
Stigma and Discrimination: As mentioned

previously, students with SEN face
discrimination from schools and sometimes
within their own families. The lack of
sensitization of the public leads to bullying of
children from their peers as well as adults
and makes it difficult for them to continue
their education and to later find
employment.
Providing and improving support services for

children with SEN will require the
development of structured programs for
67
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 3.3 Special Education: Taking Everyone Along

Objective: Provide the legislation, policies, programs and resources needed to improve
the inclusion and experience of students with diverse needs in the education system.
Expected Outcome: Belizean children will have access to quality education services
regardless of their unique physical, social, emotional or academic needs.
Key Challenges: inadequate infrastructure, lack of training and human resources,
inefficient support services
Strategic Actions:
3.3.1 Strengthen the legislative, regulatory and policy framework to ensure that
children with diverse needs have equal access to quality and relevant education
in the most enabling environment.
3.3.2 Ensure that special schools, classrooms and other facilities that serve students
with special education needs, including NaRCIE, have appropriate
accommodations and resources for students and staff.
3.3.3 Improve education and support services for students with special education
needs, including referral and diagnostic services, learning support, development
of life skills and, where applicable, transition into further education, skills training
or employment.
3.3.4 Increase the availability of resources and services in key areas such as speech
therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, diagnostics and paraprofessional
support, especially in rural communities.
3.3.5 Implement a sustained public awareness campaign, school sensitization program

and support groups to encourage greater acceptance and understanding of the
rights of students with special education needs.
68
4. Maximizing Human Capital
Overview: While basic education (pre- to the academic curriculum being offered in
primary, primary and secondary education) other established high schools.
is designed to provide students with
foundational knowledge and skills, training Focused coordination of the TVET sector
in the TVET, tertiary and adult education started with the establishment of a
sectors is more focused on workforce Vocational Technical Training Unit (VTTU) in
development and real-life application. As a the 1980’s and the first Centre for
result, programs in these sectors need to be Employment Training in 1992. Between 2006
flexible and responsive to the changing and 2009, six 24Institutes for Technical and
needs of the economy and of the learners Vocational Education and Training (ITVET)
being served. The status, challenges and were established, one in each district. Some
proposed strategic actions for each of these facilities were entirely new and others
sectors are described below. involved renovation of existing structures.
The initiative was part of the Enhancement
TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
22 of TVET (ETVET) project funded by the
AND TRAINING Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
Another component of the ETVET project
Development of the TVET Sector was the development of a Belize Technical
and Vocational Training Act. The TVET Act
Although the recognition of the importance was passed in 2005, but was repealed shortly
of Technical and Vocational Education and thereafter with the change in political
Training (TVET) has been slow to take root in administration and the introduction of the
Belize, the 23 need was acknowledged from Belize Education and Training Act (BETA)
the inception of education in the colony at 2010.
the turn of the 19th century. Early reports
include considerations for including practical At the regional level, Belize joined the
subjects into the primary school curriculum Caribbean Association of National Training
and also on the establishment of an Agencies (CANTA) which was established by
industrial school. This latter idea finally CARICOM in 2003 to coordinate and
materialized in 1927 in the form of a rationalize TVET among member countries.
reformatory agricultural school for young The effort is intended to support the
offenders. The Belize Technical High School, Caribbean Single Market and Economy
a more formal education institution, was (CSME) and its precept of free movement
established in 1952, providing an alternative and certification of skilled labour. Belize is
represented on CANTA by the Employment
Training and Education Services (ETES) which
is the successor of the VTTU. ETES, however,
22 23 For more information, see Education in Belize: A

D. Margarita Gomez, Director of the Employment
Training and Education Services and Mr. Ricardo historical Perspective, Bennett, 2008.
24 The government-aided institute in Cayo retained its name
Gideon from the PPRE Unit made significant
as a Centre for Employment and Training (CET).
contributions to this section of the analysis.
69
does not meet the criteria of a National • negative public perception of TVET
Training Agency (NTA). The result is that and low employer confidence in
there is no in-country authorizing body for graduates;
Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQ) • inadequate location of some sites
certification of trainees. (e.g. remote, flood prone);
• low level of qualifications of
Recent Initiatives instructors and low capacity of
graduates;
Section 11 of the Belize Education and
Training Act 2010 retained the National • few programs offered beyond Level
Council for Technical and Vocational 1;
Education and Training (NCTVET) as an • lack of a quality assurance system
advisory body for the sector; however, as that would ensure regional
mentioned previously, several provisions of competitiveness (e.g. CVQ);
BETA and the related regulations are not • uncompetitive remuneration
suited for the nature of the TVET sector. packages for instructors and one-
Additionally, although ETES is responsible for year contract limits;
monitoring and supporting TVET institutions, • limited opportunities for instructor
the power to determine and enforce policies development in pedagogy and
and practices within institutions lies with technical expertise; and
Boards of Managements. • failure to capitalize on in-house
expertise for maintenance and
In 2016, ETES and the NCTVET collaborated revenue generation.
on the development of the NCTVET Strategic
Plan 2017-2020. The plan was meant to The strategic plan focused on four key result
address identified weaknesses such as the areas (KRA) as shown below:
following: • KRA1-Governance, Management &
Communication
• lack of consultation with employers • KRA2-Quality Assurance - Standards,
and the private sector in developing Certification & Accreditation of
training programs; Training Programs
• undefined roles and responsibilities • KRA3-Programming Relevance -
of Boards and administrators of Curriculum/Training Development
ITVETs; and Infrastructure & Equipment
• weak coordination between ITVETs, • KRA4-Instructor/Trainer
ETES, NCTVET and the broader Development
Ministry;
• weak maintenance practices,
outdated equipment and lack of or The strategic plan became the main focus of
inconsistent implementation of ETES for the period 2017-2020 and many of
standards; the embedded strategies were pursued.
• low enrolment in programs and Terms of reference were drafted for the
gender disparity in enrolment; composition and functions for ITVET Boards
and for Managers and Assistant Managers of
ITVETs. An institutional evaluation and
70
improvement planning manual and instructors also participated in short-term

instruments were developed and used in the skills training programs offered by the
external evaluation of ITVETs. Much effort Republic of China (Taiwan) and Colombia.
was also placed on laying the groundwork to
Current Status and Challenges
transition from the 25 Belize National
Vocational Qualifications (BzNVQ) Recent efforts have failed to produce the
assessment structure to the more practical, expanded enrolment and improved quality
competency-based, industry-involved CVQ desired for the sector. Meaningful
certification system. In preparation for this partnerships with the private sector remains
transition, a TVET Administrative Handbook elusive, the sector continues to be reactive
for CVQ was developed and used to sensitize rather than proactive, recognized external
Board members and train administrators verification of the quality of programs is still
and instructors in the requirements for non-existent, and the perceptions of TVET as
transitioning to CVQ. ETES-led external a second-class education continues to
quality audits following the CANTA persist. Some of the key challenges that
standards and model were conducted on remain are described below.
selected programs at each ITVET. This was
followed by an official audit by the Low Qualifications of ITVET Instructors:
Caribbean Examinations Council’s CVQ Most ITVET instructors hold an Associate
Division. Audit reports were shared with degree or lower in the trade area in which
institutions for development of institutional they teach. Furthermore, although, 37%
enhancement plans. hold a Bachelor’s degree, these are normally
in non-technical areas such as Math,
Instructors and managers have also received
Business or English Education. No Bachelor
specialized technical training under several
degree programs in technical areas (other
initiatives facilitated by the Ministry of
than Information Technology) are offered by
Education through ETES. In 2018/2019, two
local institutions. Additionally, only 27% of
training programs were offered by the
the current ITVET instructors have
University of the West Indies through a
completed the Diploma in Competency
project funded by the European Union: 1) a
Based Education and Training (CBET), which
Diploma in Competency Based Education
is required for obtaining a full teaching
and Training (CBET) for instructors, and 2) a
licence for TVET.
Certificate in Leadership and Management
for TVET administrators. The project also
Persistent Low Enrolment: The ITVET
included capacity building of two local
system was designed to accommodate 1,200
tertiary institutions to be able to carry on
full-time students at any one time. As can be
such trainings locally. Instructors who had
seen from Figure 22, even this low target has
the requisite academic qualifications and
not been achieved. Furthermore, although
completed the CBET diploma were awarded
ITVETs were envisioned to be primarily post-
full teaching licences. A number of TVET
25
BzNVQs have not been offered since 2019 because Level I although there are several Level II programs
of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, there has been being offered by institutions.
low participation from trainees since it is not a
requirement by the ITVETs for students to sit the
exam. There is also no BzNVQ examination beyond
71
secondary, in some institutes, the majority Low Completion and Achievement Rates
of student are enrolled in prevocational Results of a recent diagnosis of the TVET
programs. These are students who are below sector revealed wide variations in
the age of 15, the minimum requirement for completion rates among institutions, with
enrolment in a trade program. As discussed some institutions having rates as low as 8%
previously, female enrolment in TVET and 26% of trainees completing programs in
programs is extremely low. which they had enrolled between 2013 and
2017. Many of those who complete
FIGURE 22 ITVET ENROLMENT BY GENDER, 2014/15- programs and sit the BzNVQ are
2019/20 unsuccessful in their first attempt and must
retake the exam. Table 20 show the results
753
803 of the 2019 BzNVQ examinations.
723 729
684
632
595
577 546 567 581 Although efforts have been made to address
458 these long-standing problems, the necessary
resources, systems and regulatory
frameworks to support, build on, and sustain
138 156 148 158 171
119 these initiatives have not been put in place.
Partnership and coordination with the
business community, professional
2014/152015/162016/172017/182018/192019/20
associations, industry partners, labour
Female Male Total unions and relevant ministries which are also
crucial to the development of the sector are
Source: PPRE Unit, MoECST yet to be developed.
TABLE 20 PERFORMANCE ON BZNVQ EXAMINATIONS BY OCCUPATIONAL TRADES, 2019
Occupational Trades # of Sitters # Passed % Passed

Air Conditioning & Refrigeration 65 21 32%
Auto mechanic 193 79 41%
Commercial Food Preparation 66 10 15%
Cosmetology 49 23 47%
Building & Ground Maintenance 17 7 41%
Carpentry 6 0 0%
Computer Service Repair 16 14 88%
Electrical Installation 172 31 18%
Ornamental Horticulture 2 2 100%
Tourism Front Office 9 9 100%
Welding 14 6 43%
Total 609 202 33%
Source: ETES-MoECST
72
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 4.1 TVET: Meeting the Needs
Objective: Strengthen partnerships with industries and the private sector to improve the
quality, relevance and responsiveness of the TVET sector.
Expected Outcome: A sense of ownership for TVET by industries and private sector will
be evident from their extensive involvement in the development and quality assurance of
TVET programs and institutions.
Key Challenges: skills gap, disconnect between TVET institutions and business and
industry, outdated equipment and expertise, stigma
Strategic Actions:
4.1.1 Establish a National Training Agency, with oversight from the NCTVET, to be
responsible for quality assurance and coordination of the TVET sector and award
of national and regional vocational qualifications.
4.1.2 Upgrade the infrastructure, equipment and technical expertise in all ITVETs to
comply with regional standards for delivery of quality TVET programs.
4.1.3 Establish standards, employment policies and remuneration schemes to attract

trainers with high quality, relevant and up-to-date expertise and experience in the
TVET sector.
4.1.4 Establish a TVET Scholarship Fund to train a cadre of skilled workers each year in
high priority areas and new growth industries.
4.1.5 Collaborate with industries and the private sector to design and implement trade
and apprenticeship programs that will attract more students into ITVETs, with
particular emphasis on increasing the number of females and high school
graduates.
73
26 STATUS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN BELIZE
History and Governance Indies Open Campus, which facilitates access

to online programs delivered by the Open
The higher education sector in Belize is Campus and offers a number of local short-
relatively young. Delivery of post-secondary term professional development courses.
programs began in 1952 at St. John’s College
in Belize City. Since then, higher education The Education and Training Act (2010) gives
has expanded across the country. As seen in the Ministry of Education the legal mandate
Table 21, there are now eleven Associate- to approve and grant licenses to operate
degree offering junior colleges, at least one tertiary institutions in the country, but the
in every district, with the exception of legislation is silent on the management,
Toledo. There are also two local universities financing and operation of these institutions.
offering Bachelor’s and a few Master’s The University of Belize has its own Act
Degree programs; these are the national under Chapter 37 of the Laws of Belize
University of Belize (UB), established in 2000 (Revised Edition 2000), the University of
after the amalgamation of five existing Belize Act. This law outlines the appointment
colleges, and a private institution, Galen and composition of the Board of Trustees,
University, founded in 2003. There are also the appointment of the President of the
four offshore medical colleges, catering University and its faculty and staff,
primarily to foreign students, and a site of procedures for obtaining public funds and
the University of the University of the West other financial matters.
TABLE 21 LIST OF LOCAL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS
Institution Year Degrees Offered District

Est.
St. John’s College Junior College 1952 AD BZ
Stann Creek Ecumenical Junior College 1986 AD SC
Corozal Junior College 1986 AD CZ
Muffles Junior College 1992 AD OW
Sacred Heart Junior College 1999 AD CY
Belize Adventist Junior College 1999 AD CZ
University of Belize 2000 AD, BD, MD CY, BZ, TL
San Pedro Junior College 2000 AD BZ
Galen University 2003 BD, MD CY
Wesley Junior College 2003 AD BZ
Centro Escolar México Junior College 2007 AD CZ
Independence Junior College 2007 AD SC
John Paul II Junior College 2013 AD CY
Source: Tertiary Sector Diagnosis, 2020, PPRE-MoECST
26
Mr. Bernadino Pech from the PPRE Unit made
significant contributions to this section of the
analysis.
74
Junior colleges in Belize mostly arose as sixth documentation of the different procedures
form institutions using the campuses and that are currently followed so that all
resources of high schools. Over the years, stakeholders are aware of these institutional
and in the absence of clear guidance in the processes.
Education Rules, different management
structures have emerged. These institutions At the junior college level, a few institutions
are typically headed by deans with one or have started a self-assessment and external
more assistant deans; however, in three peer-review process through a collaboration
such institutions there is also a president between the Association of Tertiary Level
who oversees the affairs of both the junior Institutions in Belize (ATLIB) and the
college and high school divisions. In two of Consortium for Belize Educational
those three cases, the president is also the Cooperation (COBEC), a group of U.S.-based
principal of the high school division. Eight of universities. As the Ministry of Education
the eleven junior colleges have joint Boards does further work on the development of an
of Management, serving both junior college external quality assurance mechanism,
and high school divisions. These bodies are these institutions may have a head start;
composed primarily in accordance with the however, some institutions have not yet
terms of reference provided for high schools. indicated their willingness to engage in this
Junior college administrators and faculty process. At the university level, both Galen
members generally perceive this University and the University of Belize have
arrangement as providing them with some structures in place to apply and
inadequate representation (Pech, 2020). implement internal quality assurance
principles. The University of Belize has a
Quality and Quality Assurance Quality Assurance Unit which oversees the
development and discontinuation of
Another Act which should have far reaching
programs in their faculties. This office is seen
implications for higher education
as one of strategic importance for the
institutions in Belize is the Belize National
university as its goals, outlined in the Vision
Accreditation Council Act. This law was
2022, include seeking accreditation.
passed in 2005, but was never implemented.
A more recent initiative to establish a
Despite efforts by ATLIB over the years to
Qualifications and Quality Assurance
establish a national articulation framework,
Authority has also stalled. There is therefore
there are no national agreements for the
a void in the external quality assurance and
transfer of credits. As a result, transfers are
accreditation of tertiary institutions in
dealt with on the basis of non-binding
Belize. As a result, quality control
agreements between the individual
mechanisms have been implemented in an
institutions and, in some cases, inconsistent
ad hoc manner. Although some internal
assessments by personnel performing
quality assurance practices are documented
admission functions. The lack of oversight
in institution handbooks, others are carried
and coordination within the sector has led to
out only through institutional tradition and
large disparities in the content of programs
culture. In a recent diagnosis of the sector,
and courses, even when they are similarly
leaders across the country acknowledged
named. The result is that courses taken at
the need for a more rigorous process that
the Associate degree level may have to be
can be held up to scrutiny. This involves the
75
repeated when students transfer into Enrolment and Programs

another Associate or a Bachelor’s degree Table 22 shows that enrolment in local
program, leading to 27extra time and cost for higher education institutions increased to
program completion. These transfer and above 10,000 students for the first time in
accreditation issues become even more 2019/20. Approximately 55% of students
pronounced when students seek access to that year were enrolled in universities and
institutions outside of the country, as those the remainder in junior colleges. The primary
institutions attempt to vet the credits gotten focus of local tertiary institutions is the
at local institutions. delivery of academic programs. As discussed
previously, there is no national external
There are no required national examinations mechanism in place to assess program or
for tertiary level students. The only required institutional quality. The result is that
professional examination is for nurses, but institutions may offer programs for which
this is a regional examination. Annually, a they do not have appropriate facilities or
few junior college students also take the technical expertise and continue to do so for
Caribbean Advanced Proficiency as long as there are students willing to enroll
Examination (CAPE) to qualify for entry into in those programs.
programs at the University of the West
Indies or to compete for the Belize The University of Belize, recently established
Scholarship. The Belize Scholarship is a a process for the development and rollout of
monetary award to support studies at a new programs. It involves stakeholder
university, local or international, of the surveys and an examination of employment
winner’s choice. In 2019, 73 students sat opportunities for prospective graduates.
CAPE. Most institutions, however, have no
established program review process in place
for determining the impact or relevance of
program offerings to national development.
TABLE 22 ENROLMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION BY SUBSECTOR, 2014/15-2019/20

Level and Sex 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20
Junior College 3,905 4,120 4,296 4,267 4,447 4,596
Male 1,635 1,744 1,837 1,798 1,800 1,850
Female 2,270 2,376 2,459 2,469 2,647 2,746
University 4,657 4,913 5,129 5,260 5,383 5,516
Male 1,647 1,693 1,756 1,806 1,868 1,888
Female 3,010 3,220 3,373 3,454 3,515 3,628
Total 8,562 9,033 9,425 9,527 9,830 10,112
Male 3,282 3,437 3,593 3,604 3,668 3,738
Female 5,280 5,596 5,832 5,923 6,162 6,374
Source: PPRE-MoECST
27
The Tertiary Sector Diagnosis found completion rates as about half (51%) complete within the time-frame
low as 45% among a selected set of institutions. Although indicated on the official program schedule.
most students (68%) eventually finish their programs only
76
As shown in Figure 23, a large portion, 45% international levels” and “ensuring that its
of students in local tertiary institutions, tend students and graduates have strong
to enroll in Business programs. Natural academic, ethical, independent and
Science and Education programs each analytical literacy, numeracy and research
attract about 14% of enrolled students and capabilities” as guiding principles under
enrolment in all other fields is less than 10%. which the university is to operate.
Females make up the larger portion of
enrolments in education (86%), social Nonetheless, the culture of scientific
sciences (85%), health sciences (78%), research is not well established. This is
humanities (77%), business (63%) and compounded by the fact that only 40% of
natural sciences (56%), but are significantly faculty at the junior college level and 60% at
underrepresented in the areas of the university level have a graduate degree.
engineering (44%), agriculture (33%) and ICT Only 8% overall have a doctorate degree. As
(15%). expected, more faculty members at the
university level are engaged in research and
Research publications than at the junior college level,
where it is neither an expectation nor
As mentioned previously, there are limited
requirement. Faculty at Galen University are
provisions set out for higher education in the
required to engage in service and research
current Belize Education and Training Act.
for promotion and tenure. The requirement
This includes the important area of research.
is not as stringent at the University of Belize,
Research figures prominently however in the
but the institution indicated that its faculty
University of Belize Act. Section 5 states that:
do publish occasionally in peer-reviewed
“The objectives of the University shall be to
journals and the university’s five-year plan
provide teaching, conduct research and offer
also includes the goal of increasing its focus
services consistent with the development
on research studies that address the social,
needs of Belize.” Section 3 also stipulates
economic, and environmental challenges
that “striving to attain academic, research
that face Belize.
and service, teaching and professional
excellence at the national, regional and
FIGURE 23 ENROLMENT IN LOCAL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS BY PROGRAM, 2018/19
4225
1273 1286
299 636 452 572
126 241 133
Source: Tertiary Sector Diagnosis, MoECST
77
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 4.2 Higher Education: Raising the Bar
Objective: Implement legislation, policies and mechanisms to build the higher education
sector’s capacity to deliver quality programs and research services aligned to national
development needs.
Expected Outcome: Belizeans will have access to high quality and relevant tertiary
education programs and research provided by institutions that meet national, regional and
international standards.
Key Challenges: lack of quality assurance and accreditation, skills gap, misalignment of
programs with priority needs, limited production of research
Strategic Actions:
4.2.1 Establish a Higher Education Council with government, academia and private
sector partners to set standards and provide quality assurance and accreditation
for higher education institutions in Belize.
4.2.2 Develop regulations and policies to guide the management, staffing and
administration of government and grant-aided junior colleges.
4.2.3 Establish a Higher Education Fund and other financial assistance programs to
encourage students to pursue studies in high priority areas such as STEM and
provide special incentives for currently underrepresented groups such as males.
4.2.4 Facilitate university and junior college faculty in pursuing advanced qualifications
in areas of national priority.
4.2.5 Support the University of Belize and other higher education institutions to build
their capacity to conduct research in areas of national priority.
78
OVERVIEW OF THE ADULT AND CONTINUING

28
EDUCATION SECTOR
Access and Participation closure of the Extension School in 2012,

The Education and Training Act of Belize several other ACE institutions had been
2010, describes “continuing education” as established. The first of these was the
“a short-term programme of study in a Corozal Junior College ACE Division, which
specific area for professional or opened in 1993 to offer an Associate Degree
employment or job related skills and in Business Administration. Since then, a
knowledge enhancement; it can be award- growing demand for formal education for
bearing or non-award bearing and out-of-school youth and lifelong learning
vocational or non-vocational”. opportunities for adults has led to the
emergence of ten high school equivalency
St. John’s College, with its establishment of programs across the country, at least one in
an Extension School in 1947, was the pioneer every district (see Table 23). Additionally,
of adult education in Belize. The school one institution offers a one-year
originally offered leadership training for high Opportunity Certificate program which
school graduates but transitioned in 1965 to prepares students to transition to junior
offer a high school equivalency program for college. In 2017, Escuela Secundaria
students who never attended or did not Technica Mexico ACE became the latest
complete high school. By the time of the registered ACE institution in Belize.
TABLE 23 LIST OF ACE INSTITUTIONS
District Institution Name Year Est. Type

CZ Corozal Junior/ Community College ACE 1993 Specially Assisted
BZ San Pedro ACE 1996 Specially Assisted
OW San Juan Bautista ACE 1999 Private
TL St. Peter Claver College ACE 1999 Government Aided
SC Stann Creek Ecumenical ACE 2001 Government Aided
BZ Wesley ACE 2003 Government Aided
CY Baptist School of ACE 2006 Specially Assisted
BZ Gwen Lizarraga ACE 2009 Government
CY St. Ignatius High School of ACE 2009 Specially Assisted
SC Independence ACE 2016 Government
CZ Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico ACE 2017 Government
Source: ACE Sector Diagnosis, MoECST
28
Mr. Ricardo Gideon from the PPRE Unit made
significant contributions to this section of the
analysis.
79
Despite the increase in the number of of the main reasons cited for the high
institutions, enrolment in ACE programs dropout rate is financial constraints.
declined by 11% between 2015/16 and
2019/20. Gwen Lizaraga ACE in Belize City is Financing for the ACE sector comes from two
the largest ACE institution, accounting for main sources, namely, public funds and
30.6% of the total ACE enrolment in 2019/20 student fees. ACE receives less than 1% of
(see Table 24). Between the 2015/16 and the annual education budget. Public funding
2019/20 academic years, female enrolment is distributed disproportionally among
accounted for 58% of the total enrolment institutions, as some are highly subsidized
(note Figure 24). Similarly, the average while others receive little or no funding.
female graduation rate is higher when There is no funding formula or strategy used
compared to males for the same time to determine funding for respective
period; for every male that graduates, two institutions. The Ministry does not control
females graduate. Over the past five years fees charged for ACE programs and so fees
the average dropout rate has been 13%. One vary considerably by institution, from
TABLE 24 ENROLMENT IN ACE INSTITUTIONS BY DISTRICT, 2015/16-2019/20

District 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 % Change
Belize 570 633 566 452 409 -28%
Cayo 177 173 143 143 113 -36%
Corozal 179 178 201 213 238 33%
Orange Walk 28 25 18 23 27 -4%
Stann Creek 119 124 154 160 152 27%
Toledo 73 78 85 81 77 5%
Total 1,146 1,211 1,167 1,072 1,016 -11%
FIGURE 24 ENROLMENT IN ACE INSTITUTIONS BY GENDER, 2015/16-2019/20
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20
Male Female Total
80
$119.00 to $3,000.00 per academic year. The prepares students to sit several CSEC
level of fees charged depends on the public examinations. However, there is no specific
funding received by respective institutions. formal structure in place to guide the
An ACE high school equivalency program is curriculum of ACE programs and few ACE
generally more expensive to complete than students actually sit CSEC examinations at
a secondary level diploma in a traditional the completion of their program.
high school.
Since there is no prescribed timeframe for
Program Content and Delivery the length of the high school equivalency
As Table 25 shows, of the eleven registered programs, program duration varies among
ACE institutions, nine offer high school institutions. For example, some institutions
equivalency programs, one offers both a are offering a three-year program while
high school equivalency diploma and others are offering a four-year program for
associate degree program and one offers a the same certification. ACE programs
one-year opportunity program. Currently, all basically mirror regular secondary school
high school equivalency programs follow the programs with core subject areas such as
Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Mathematics, Science, English, Spanish and
(CSEC) curriculum. For the most part, this Information Technology being offered. In
fact, nine of the ACE programs are attached
TABLE 25 PROGRAMS OFFERED BY ACE INSTITUTIONS
District Institution Name Programs Offered Length
BZ San Pedro ACE High School Equivalency Diploma 4 years
BZ Wesley ACE Opportunity Program 1 year
BZ Gwen Lizarraga ACE General Education Diploma 3 years
CY Baptist School of ACE High School Equivalency Diploma 4 years
CY St. Ignatius High School High School Equivalency Diploma with a 4 years
of ACE Certificate in a CET Program
CZ Corozal Junior College Associate in Paralegal Studies, Associate in 2 years
ACE Management of Business
CZ Corozal Community High School Equivalency Diploma College ACE 3 years
ACE
CZ Escuela Secundaria High School Equivalency Diploma 3 years
Tecnica Mexico ACE
OW San Juan Bautista ACE High School Equivalency Diploma 4 years
SC Stann Creek High School Equivalency Diploma 4 years
Ecumenical ACE
SC Independence ACE High School Equivalency Diploma 4 years
TL St. Peter Claver College High School Equivalency Diploma 3 years
ACE
Source: ACE Sector Diagnosis, MoECST
81
to traditional secondary schools and the develop high quality OERs for a number of
teachers at both levels are generally the high school subjects for use in mainstream
same. However, not all teachers teaching at schools and secondary level programs for
out-of-school youth and adults.
the various ACE programs are licensed
educators at the secondary level. The resources developed cover ten
secondary school subjects: English,
Although ACE institutions were intended for Mathematics, Social Studies, Integrated
Science, Spanish, Principles of Accounting,
persons over the age of 18, the programs
Information Technology, Entrepreneurship,
attract a large number of students under 18 Electrical Wiring and Life Skills. To date,
years of age who have dropped out of resources have been completed for six of the
regular high schools or who, for financial ten subjects (English, Mathematics, Social
reasons, need to work during the day. This Studies, Integrated Science, Spanish and Life
presents institutions with challenges in Skills) and writers are working on completing
the resources for the other four subjects.
planning appropriate programs and
Once all resources have been reviewed and
approaches.
accepted by the Ministry, Notesmaster will
upload them to an aptus device. The aptus
Since a vast majority of the ACE programs device works through an intranet platform
are attached to a regular high school with which allows users to connect using either a
which they share facilities, instruction time cell phone, a laptop, a tablet or a desktop.
usually runs from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Once connected, the user is able to access
the resources on the device.
Lesson delivery is traditionally imparted
through a face-to-face modality; however, The Ministry plans to pilot the resources in
COVID-19 restrictions forced a transition to a 15 schools across the country and will
distance learning modality. Over 95% of conduct an evaluation to determine the
effectiveness of the resources and
students have engaged in online delivery
technology. Both students and teachers will
and the remainder through printed- be able to benefit from the materials
packages. developed by the writers as resource
materials to support teaching and learning.
This program will be particularly beneficial to
Recent Initiatives
out-of-school youth and adults who face
In 2017, the Ministry of Education signed a challenges that prevent them from
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the attending a traditional school.
Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and
Another recent initiative supported the
Notesmaster for a project to develop Open
expansion of options for adult learners
Education Resources (OERs) for the
through a Technology Program. The
secondary school level. The objective of the
Technology Program is a collaboration
project was two-fold: 1) to train teachers
between ACE Institutions and ITVETs and
and course writers in the development of e-
allows adult learners in their second and/or
learning content and in the use of a Learning
third year in evening division programs to
Management Systems (LMS); and 2) to
take a skills development program offered at
82
ITVETs. One such collaboration is that

between St. Ignatius High School Evening
Division and the Cayo Center for
Employment Training. The managements of
the two institutions signed memorandums
of understanding (MOU) for three cycles of
training. The collaboration resulted in ACE
students completing programs and getting
employment opportunities that are directly
linked to industry needs within the Cayo
District.
An Association of Adult and Continuing
Education providers has recently been
formed. The goal of the association is to
increase collaboration and promote
standardization within the ACE sector.
Current problems associated with the sector
which the association and the MoECST hope
to address include:
• limited scope of current program
offerings;
• lack of information regarding the
needs of employers and employees;
• insufficient access to institutions;
• high cost of programs; and
• no system in place to assess and
recognize knowledge and skills gained
through experience.
As discussed previously, education level has
an impact on prospects for employment and
earnings. Therefore, high school equivalency
programs do have a place given the high
numbers of workers without that level of
education. However, more attention needs
to be paid to ensuring that ACE institutions
cater to the needs of the adult population
beyond high school equivalency, that
institutions are able to offer programs that
are relevant to the needs of employers and
employees, and that programs are delivered
in a format that is appropriate and accessible
to adult learners.
83
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
KRA 4.3 Adult Education: Educating for Life

Objective: Expand access to relevant adult education programs to build Belize’s human
capital and upgrade the quality of the workforce.
Expected Outcome: Belizeans will be able to access relevant educational opportunities
for self-improvement and employment throughout their life span.
Key Challenges: low levels of education in the workforce, limited scope of programs, high
cost of programs, lack of connection to employment needs
Strategic Actions:
4.3.1 Develop a national policy for Adult Education, including standards for programs
and providers.
4.3.2 Establish programmes across the country to teach literacy, civics, parenting
education and financial literacy to adult learners.
4.3.3 Work with employers to develop customized programs that can build the capacity
of their employees and boost productivity.
4.3.4 Support the development of online adult education programmes to increase the
number of persons in the workforce with secondary level qualifications.
4.3.5 Develop and implement a system for prior learning assessment and recognition
(PLAR) to facilitate certification of skills gained through work experience.
84
III. IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS
Arrangements for the implementation and monitoring of the BESPlan are illustrated in Figure 25.
Each of the twelve Key Result Areas (KRA) will be assigned to one or more implementing units
(IU) or teams within the MoECST. The heads of the implementing units will be responsible for: 1)
incorporating the activities for the particular KRA into their annual work plan and budget, as
necessary, 2) coordinating the activities outlined under the KRA, and 3) reporting on progress.
There are also four Technical Working Groups (TWG), each corresponding to one of the four
domains of the plan. The TWGs are comprised of the heads of units to which relevant KRAs are
assigned and function as technical advisory bodies. TWGs meet on a monthly basis and produce
quarterly reports. The chairpersons of the four TWGs, along with the Ministry’s Senior
Management Team and the Director(s) for Policy, Planning and Projects serve on a Steering
Committee (SC). The SC is chaired by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Education and
meets on a quarterly basis to review reports from the TWGs and to provide guidance on further
implementation of the plan. The SC reports to the Minister and Minister of State. SC members
also participate on various national committees in support of the country’s Medium Term
Development Plan. This facilitates inter-ministerial sharing and collaboration and ensures that
the plans of the MoECST are consistent with national development goals.
FIGURE 25 GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS
Minister of
Education
National
Minister Committees
of State
Steering Committee
Support Team
(PPREU and PEU)
Education
System Reform Priority Sectors Human Capital
Transformation
TWG TWG TWG
TWG
KRA 2.1- KRA 3.1-Early

KRA 1.1-MoE
Curriculum Childhood KRA 4.1-TVET IU
Restructuring IU
Reform IU Education IU
KRA 2.3-
KRA 1.2-Finance KRA 3.2-Student KRA 4.2-Higher
Assessment for
Reform IU Welfare IU Education IU
Learning IU
KRA 1.3
KRA 2.4-Teacher KRA 3.3 Special KRA 4.3-Adult
Governance
Development IU Education IU Education IU
Reform IU
85
IV. TIMELINES AND OUTPUTS
Table 26 lists the strategic actions and targets, as well as the expected timelines for completion of related outputs. This is intended to be a living
document that is subject to change based on the results of monitoring and evaluation exercises. The plan incorporates an agile approach to plan
implementation with identified product owners, coaches and implementation teams.
TABLE 26 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Objective: Restructure the Ministry of Education in order to increase its efficiency and capacity to effectively respond to the needs of the
education system.
Expected Outcome: The Ministry of Education will be suitably organized and staffed by personnel who have the relevant knowledge, skills and
attitudes to deliver quality and responsive education services within an organizational culture that promotes innovation and accountability.
Strategic Actions Timeline Output Indicators Baseline Target Output Coach Implementation
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
1.1.1 Update the mission MoECST outdated updated Chief Administrative Senior
and organizational structure organizational organizational Executive Officer (AO) Management
of the Ministry of Education Chart chart published Officer Team (SMT) in
to enable better (CEO) collaboration
with Records
communication and
Management
collaboration within the
Unit, PPRE Unit
Ministry and greater and Ministry of
efficiency and effectiveness Public Service
in service delivery. (MPS)
86

education system.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
1.1.2 Develop terms of Revised Terms of not in place TORs published CEO AO SMT in
reference for each position, Reference collaboration
office and area of service to with Records
provide clarity in roles and Management
Unit, PPRE Unit
responsibilities.
and MPS
1.1.3 Develop a Appraisal and not in place manual CEO AO SMT in

performance-based Recognition published collaboration
appraisal and recognition Manual with Records
system for Ministry staff and Management
Unit, PPRE Unit
service teams and address
and MPS
identified professional
development needs.
87

education system.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
1.1.4 Implement a MoECST not in place plan CEO Assigned SMT in
comprehensive rebranding Communication implemented Deputy Chief collaboration
and communication strategy Plan Education with
to build the Ministry’s public Officer Communications
(DCEdO) Team and all
image and capacity to
MoECST Units
inform and engage internal
and District
and external stakeholders. Education
Centers (DECs)
1.1.5 Maximize the use of New BEMIS core minimum of 2 Assigned BEMIS Manager
BEMIS and other features and digital features new features DCEdO and PPRE Unit
technologies to digitize the service applications and CEO
Ministry’s processes and applications Manager, ICT ICT Unit
per year Unit
services.
88

Objective: Align the Ministry's financial resources and mechanisms with targets for improved performance, expanded access and increased
equity and accountability.
Expected Outcome: The Ministry of Education will have measurable impact on the social and economic development of the nation through a
financing system and programs that are based on equity, performance and merit.
Strategic Actions: Timeline Output Baseline Target Output Coach Implementation
Indicators Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
1.2.1 Review and Comprehensive not in place policy and CEO Chief Education Finance Office in
rationalize school School Financing business rules Officer (CEdO) collaboration
financing policies and Policy and published with SMT and
mechanisms at all Business Rules PPRE Unit
levels of the
education system to
increase equity and
incentivize
performance,
achievement and
continuous
improvement.
1.2.2 Provide free Free Education not in place grants issued CEO Finance Officer Finance Office
access to education Grants (FO)
from preschool to
junior college.
1.2.3 Establish a Rural Education $1M in grant $3M in grant CEO FO Finance Office
Rural Education Grant Fund funds funds
Grant Fund to Policy
increase access to
education for
89

Objective: Align the Ministry's financial resources and mechanisms with targets for improved performance, expanded access and increased
equity and accountability.
Expected Outcome: The Ministry of Education will have measurable impact on the social and economic development of the nation through a
financing system and programs that are based on equity, performance and merit.
Strategic Actions: Timeline Output Baseline Target Output Coach Implementation
Indicators Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
students from rural
areas.
1.2.4 Ensure that Digital devices 66% access to 100% access to CEO Science and Science and
all students and and internet or devices devices Technology Technology Unit
teachers from wireless service Coordinator (STC) with support
Standard 4 to Form 4 70% access to 100% access to from Project
internet/wireless internet/wireless Execution Unit
have access to high
service service (PEU)
speed internet or an
alternative wireless
service and to an
appropriate digital
device.
1.2.5 Establish an Audit Unit not in place established CEO FO Finance Office in
Audit Unit within the collaboration
Ministry of Education with Auditor
to ensure General's Office
and MPS
accountability for
public funds.
90

Objective: Strengthen the legislative, regulatory and policy framework for better outcomes and improved governance and leadership of the
education system.
Expected Outcome: The Belize education system will be guided by a comprehensive and effective policy and regulatory framework that
facilitates access, inclusion, quality and accountability.
Strategic Actions: Timeline Output Indicators Baseline Target Output Coach Implementation
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
1.3.1 Conduct a Revised legislation not in place legislation and CEO CEdO Crown Counsel
comprehensive review and and regulations regulations in collaboration
revision of education enacted with PPRE Unit
legislation, regulations and and Attorney
General (AG)
policies, including those
Ministry
related to education councils,
commissions and boards, to
increase effectiveness in the
governance of the education
system.
1.3.2 Expand the Revised legislation not in place legislation and CEO CEdO Crown Counsel
compulsory school age to and regulations regulations in collaboration
include students at the enacted with AG Ministry
preschool and secondary
levels of education.
1.3.3 Introduce a Regional and not in place associations CEdO Assigned SMT in
mechanism for the National Parent established DCEdO collaboration
empowerment and Associations with DECs
meaningful participation of
parents in school-level and
91

Objective: Strengthen the legislative, regulatory and policy framework for better outcomes and improved governance and leadership of the
education system.
Expected Outcome: The Belize education system will be guided by a comprehensive and effective policy and regulatory framework that
facilitates access, inclusion, quality and accountability.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
national-level decision-
making on education issues.
1.3.4 Establish standards Standards of not in place manual CEdO Assigned SMT in
and school monitoring and Quality and School published DCEdO collaboration
support systems for pre- Monitoring and with all MoECST
primary, primary and Support Manual Units and DECs
secondary institutions to
ensure delivery of quality
services and continuous
school improvement.
1.3.5 Ensure that all Managing sporadically biannually CEdO Assigned Teacher
managing authorities and Authorities and DCEdO Learning
principals receive relevant School Leaders Institute (TLI) in
leadership training in areas Training collaboration
with relevant
such as education regulations,
MoECST Units
clinical supervision, financial
and DECs
management, school self-
assessment and improvement
planning.
92

Objective: Reform the national curriculum so that students are able to gain the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed for personal
and national development.
Expected Outcome: Belizean students will spend their time in school acquiring the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are needed for their
personal development and the development of the nation.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2.1.1 Develop a National National Curriculum not in place framework CEdO Assigned Curriculum
Curriculum Reform Reform Framework published Officer, Reform Task
Framework, based on Curriculum Force with
International Bureau of & support from
Assessment Curriculum &
Education and UNESCO
Unit Assessment Unit
standards, to guide the
development of national
curriculum at the pre-
primary, primary and
secondary levels of education
with a focus on student
competency.
2.1.2 Use the National New Streamlined not in place curriculum CEdO Director, Curriculum &
Curriculum Reform National Curriculum published Curriculum Assessment Unit
Framework to streamline the & with guidance
curriculum at the primary and Assessment from Curriculum
Unit Reform Task
secondary levels and to allow
Force
for in-depth acquisition of the
literacy, numeracy,
technological and critical
93

Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
thinking skills needed in the
21st Century.
2.1.3 Ensure that subjects Curriculum guides not in place guides CEdO Director, Curriculum &
which promote physical and for lessons on published Curriculum Assessment Unit
mental wellness and mental and physical &
sustainable human wellness and Assessment
sustainable human Unit
development, including the
development
expressive arts, physical
education, civics, Belizean,
African and Mayan History,
gardening, agriculture,
environmental education and
entrepreneurship, are
integrated into the national
curriculum at all levels.
2.1.4 Develop a National National School Not in place National School CEO STC Coordinator,
School Portal and learning Portal Portal National School
platform with quality operational Portal with
resources for teachers and assistance from
Science and
students to facilitate remote
Technology Unit
learning and appropriate
94

Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
implementation of the
national curriculum.
2.1.5 Implement a revised Electronic and paper- electronic and CEdO Director, Curriculum &
and expanded national paper-based based and paper-based Curriculum Assessment Unit
textbook program at the textbooks primary textbooks for &
primary and secondary levels level only primary and Assessment
secondary Unit
of education with free
levels
learning resources that are
distributed
aligned to the national
curriculum.
95

Objective: Create a quality and relevant assessment and examination system that is aligned to the national curriculum and that provides
meaningful information for improvements in teaching and learning.
Expected Outcome: Belizean students will participate in a fair, valid system of assessments that allows for improvement, certification and
verification of their competencies and level of achievement.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2.2.1 Develop a national National not in place policy CEdO Director, Curriculum &
student assessment policy Assessment Policy published Curriculum Assessment Unit
and scheme for the Belize & in collaboration
education system, including a Assessment with PPRE Unit
Unit
mechanism for the effective
use of assessment results to
impact education policies and
practices at both the school
and system levels.
2.2.2 Strengthen the Number of 0 5 CEdO Director, Curriculum &

expertise within the Examinations Curriculum Assessment Unit
Curriculum and Assessment Officers with formal &
Unit to develop quality training in Assessment
Measurement and Unit
diagnostic and standardized
Evaluation
assessments.
96

Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2.2.3 Upgrade the New assessment not equipment and CEdO Director, Curriculum &
technology and infrastructure equipment and available software Curriculum Assessment Unit
used in the administration software procured & with
and analysis of examinations Assessment Coordinator,
Unit NSP
to improve timeliness and
usefulness of results.
2.2.4 Develop a suite of item banks for new not in place item banks in CEdO Director, Curriculum &
appropriate screening tools, tests and place for all Curriculum Assessment Unit
diagnostic tests and examinations new tests and &
standardized examinations examinations Assessment
Unit
that are aligned to national
curriculum benchmarks at all
levels and in accordance with
the new assessment policy
and scheme.
97

Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2.2.5 Develop teacher Number of teachers 0 5,000 CEdO Director, Curriculum &
resources and provide trained to Curriculum Assessment Unit
training to teachers in administer new & in collaboration
administering screening tools tools and tests Assessment with TLI
Unit
and diagnostic tests and in
the use of appropriate
assessment strategies to
promote learning.
98

Objective: Transform teacher education and development programs and incentivizing quality teaching practices and performance results for
improved student learning.
Expected Outcome: Belizean teachers will have the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to support students in acquiring high levels of
literacy, numeracy, critical thinking and personal and interpersonal skills.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2.3.1 Upgrade the teacher Program outdated New Program CEdO Director, Teacher
education programs at all Specifications Specifications Teacher Education Unit
levels to ensure that teachers published Education in collaboration
have the specialized content Unit with relevant
MoECST Units
knowledge and pedagogical
and Teacher
skills needed to deliver the
Education
national curriculum Institutions
effectively to all students.
2.3.2 Ensure that teachers Teacher Educators not in place implemented CEdO Director, Teacher
at the pre-primary, primary Certificate Program Teacher Education Unit
and secondary levels of Education in collaboration
education and all teacher Unit with TLI
educators and professional
development facilitators are
appropriately trained.
2.3.3 Establish a Teacher Percentage of 40% (est.) 80% CEdO Assigned TLI in
Learning Institute to provide teachers earning a DCEdO collaboration
structured, comprehensive, minimum of 20 with relevant
year-round professional hours of CPD MoECST Units
annually and Teacher
development programs based
99

Objective: Transform teacher education and development programs and incentivizing quality teaching practices and performance results for
improved student learning.
Expected Outcome: Belizean teachers will have the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to support students in acquiring high levels of
literacy, numeracy, critical thinking and personal and interpersonal skills.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
on identified needs of Education
teachers and school leaders. Institutions
2.3.4 Establish a STEAM Number of 0 100 CEO Assigned PEU in

Laboratory School to promote secondary school DCEdO collaboration
effective and innovative teachers trained with Science and
teaching in the areas of through the STEAM Technology Unit
Laboratory School and relevant
Science, Technology,
MoECTS Units
Engineering, Arts and
Mathematics.
2.3.5 Revise the appraisal Appraisal and not in place manual CEdO Director, Teacher
system for teachers and Incentive Manual published Teacher Education Unit
school leaders and introduce Education in collaboration
a performance-based Unit with SMT
incentive system to promote
school improvement and
student achievement.
100

Objective: Implement early childhood policy and curricular reform and expand services in underserved areas in order to increase access to
quality early childhood education.
Expected Outcome: All Belizean preschool-aged children will have access to quality preschool programs and services.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
3.1.1 Collaborate with National ECED outdated New policy and CEO Director, ECE Unit in
relevant line Ministries to Policy and Strategy strategy ECE Unit collaboration
develop an updated national published with Ministries
policy and strategy for Early of Health and
Human
Childhood Education and
Development
Development in Belize.
3.1.2 Establish a National ECE outdated New ECE CEdO Director, Curriculum and
comprehensive, play-oriented Curriculum curriculum Curriculum Assessment Unit
preschool and lower primary published and in collaboration
education curriculum which Assessment with ECE Unit
includes reading, visual arts,
dancing, planting, music,
civics and an introduction to
technology.
3.1.3 Expand access to Number of 229 250 CEO Assigned PEU in

preschool education for 3 and Preschools DCEdO collaboration
4 year olds by building new with ECE Unit
preschools and attaching and
Government
preschools to existing primary
School
schools where possible.
Management
101

Objective: Implement early childhood policy and curricular reform and expand services in underserved areas in order to increase access to
quality early childhood education.
Expected Outcome: All Belizean preschool-aged children will have access to quality preschool programs and services.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
3.1.4 Develop alternative Number of 3 and 4- 0 4,000 CEO Director, ECE Unit in
preschool programs in areas year old children ECE Unit collaboration
where traditional preschools reached through with Curriculum
are not feasible. alternative and Assessment
preschool program Unit and PEU
3.1.5 Develop an ECE public ECE Public Not in ECE Public CEO Director, Communications
awareness campaign with key Awareness place Awareness ECE Unit Team in
messages including the campaign Campaign collaboration
importance of early childhood implemented with ECE Unit
and PEU
stimulation, education and
development.
102

Objective: Provide resources and programs to support students with social, economic and psychosocial challenges.
Expected Outcome: All Belizean children with socio-economic and psychosocial needs will be identified and appropriately supported.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
3.2.1 Establish a National Number of children 1,000 10,000 CEdO Director, Student Welfare
Healthy Start Feeding in National Healthy Student Unit in
Program with a school Start Feeding Welfare collaboration
gardening component to Program Unit with Ministry of
Agriculture
provide nutritional support
for students from low income
families.
3.2.2 Increase the Number of primary 6 100 CEO Director, Student Welfare
availability of trained school school counsellors Student Unit in
counsellors at the primary Welfare collaboration
level to address the Unit with Finance
Office and
psychosocial needs of
Teacher
students.
Administrative
Services Unit
3.2.3 Design and Number of schools 39 120 CEO Director, Student Welfare
implement school-wide in socio-emotional Student Unit in
programs that promote social learning program Welfare collaboration
and emotional learning and Unit with Ministry of
Health and
encourage positive discipline
Wellness
and restorative practices at
school and in the home.
103

Objective: Provide resources and programs to support students with social, economic and psychosocial challenges.
Expected Outcome: All Belizean children with socio-economic and psychosocial needs will be identified and appropriately supported.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
3.2.4 Work with social Annual inclusion not in place report CEO Director, Student Welfare
service organizations to intervention report published Student Unit in
strengthen the system for annually Welfare collaboration
identifying and supporting Unit with Ministry of
Human
children with social barriers to
Development
inclusion and learning,
including refugees, students
living in poverty and those
from remote rural areas.
3.2.5 Design and Number of boys 0 10,000 CEO Director, Student Welfare
implement support programs supported through Student Unit in
that target increased new targeted Welfare collaboration
retention and achievement of intervention Unit with Ministry of
programs Human
students in primary and
Development
secondary schools, with
particular attention to boys.
104

Objective: Provide the legislation, policies, programs and resources needed to improve the inclusion and experience of students with diverse
needs in the education system.
Expected Outcome: Belizean children will have access to quality education services regardless of their unique physical, social, emotional or
academic needs.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
3.3.1 Strengthen the Legislation and limited legal New legislation CEO CEdO Crown Counsel
legislative, regulatory and regulations provisions and regulations in collaboration
policy framework to ensure enacted with with Special
that children with diverse adequate Education Unit,
provisions for PPRE Unit and
needs have equal access to
children with AG Ministry
quality and relevant
diverse needs
education in the most
enabling environment.
3.3.2 Ensure that special Number of Special 0 10 CEO Director, Special

schools, classrooms and other Education facilities Special Education Unit
facilities that serve students renovated and Education in collaboration
with special education needs, equipped Unit with PEU
including NaRCIE, have
appropriate accommodations
and resources for students
and staff.
105

academic needs.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
3.3.3 Improve education Standard operation drafted SOP manual CEO Director, Special
and support services for procedures manual published Special Education Unit
students with special for Special Education in collaboration
education needs, including Education services Unit with relevant
MoECST Units
referral and diagnostic
and DECs
services, learning support,
development of life skills and,
where applicable, transition
into further education, skills
training or employment.
3.3.4 Increase the Special therapy 2 per year 6 per year CEO Director, Special
availability of resources and clinics Special Education Unit
services in key areas such as Education in collaboration
speech therapy, physical Unit with DECs
therapy, occupational
therapy, diagnostics and
paraprofessional support,
especially in rural
communities.
106

academic needs.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
3.3.5 Implement a Public airing of infrequently weekly CEO Director, Communications
sustained public awareness Special Needs Special Team in
campaign, school messages/programs Education collaboration
sensitization program and Unit with Special
Education Unit
support groups to encourage
greater acceptance and
understanding of the rights of
students with special
education needs.
107

Objective: Strengthen partnerships with industries and the private sector to improve the quality, relevance and responsiveness of the TVET
sector.
Expected Outcome: A sense of ownership for TVET by industries and the private sector will be evident from their extensive involvement in the
development and quality assurance of TVET programs and institutions.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
4.1.1 Establish a National National Training not in place National CEdO Director, TVET Unit in
Training Agency, with Agency Training TVET Unit collaboration
oversight from the NCTVET, Agency with Crown
to be responsible for quality established Counsel, AG
Ministry,
assurance and coordination of
Finance Office
the TVET sector and award of
and PPRE Unit
national and regional
vocational qualifications.
4.1.2 Upgrade the Number of ITVETs 0 6 CEO Director, Finance Office in

infrastructure, equipment and with upgraded TVET Unit collaboration
technical expertise in all equipment and with TVET Unit,
ITVETs to comply with technical expertise National
to meet regional Training Agency
regional standards for
standards in at least (NTA) and PEU
delivery of quality TVET
two high priority
programs. areas
108

sector.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
4.1.3 Establish standards, Standards for Not in place standards CEdO Director, TVET Unit in
employment policies and Trainers published TVET Unit collaboration
remuneration schemes to with NTA
attract trainers with high
quality, relevant and up-to-
date expertise and experience
in the TVET sector.
4.1.4 Establish a TVET Scholarship Fund $0 $1,000,000 CEO FO Finance Office in

Scholarship Fund to train a collaboration
cadre of skilled workers each with TVET Unit
year in high priority areas and and NTA
new growth industries.
109

sector.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
4.1.5 Collaborate with Number of 0 6 CEdO Director, TVET Unit in
industries and the private Industry-sponsored TVET Unit collaboration
sector to design and Apprenticeship with NTA
implement trade and Programs
apprenticeship programs that
will attract more students
into ITVETs, with particular
emphasis on increasing the
number of females and high
school graduates.
110

Objective: Implement legislation, policies and mechanisms to build the higher education sector’s capacity to deliver quality programs and
research services aligned to national development needs.
Expected Outcome: Belizeans will have access to high quality and relevant tertiary education programs and research provided by institutions
that meet national, regional and international standards.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
4.2.1 Establish a Higher Higher Education Not in place legislation CEdO Director, Crown Counsel
Education Council with Council legislation enacted Tertiary in collaboration
government, academia and Education with Tertiary
private sector partners to set Unit Education Unit,
PPRE Unit and
standards and provide quality
AG Ministry
assurance and accreditation
for higher education
institutions in Belize.
4.2.2 Develop regulations Higher Education Not in place regulations and CEdO Director, Crown Counsel
and policies to guide the Regulations and policies Tertiary in collaboration
management, staffing and Policies published Education with Tertiary
administration of government Unit Education Unit,
PPRE Unit and
and grant-aided junior
AG Ministry
colleges.
4.2.3 Establish a Higher High Priority not in place fund CEO FO Finance Office in
Education Fund and other Education Fund established collaboration
financial assistance programs with Tertiary
to encourage students to Education Unit
and SMT
pursue studies in high priority
areas such as STEM and
provide special incentives for
111

Objective: Implement legislation, policies and mechanisms to build the higher education sector’s capacity to deliver quality programs and
research services aligned to national development needs.
Expected Outcome: Belizeans will have access to high quality and relevant tertiary education programs and research provided by institutions
that meet national, regional and international standards.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
currently underrepresented
groups such as males.
4.2.4 Facilitate university High Priority not in place fund CEO FO Finance Office in
and junior college faculty in Education Fund established collaboration
pursuing advanced with Tertiary
qualifications in areas of Education Unit
and Higher
national priority.
Education
Council
4.2.5 Support the University National Research Not in place fund CEO FO Finance Office in
of Belize and other higher Grant Fund established collaboration
education institutions to build with Tertiary
their capacity to conduct Education Unit
and Higher
research in areas of national
Education
priority.
Council
112

Objective: Expand access to relevant adult education programs to build Belize’s human capital and upgrade the quality of the workforce.
Expected Outcome: Belizeans will be able to access relevant educational opportunities for self-improvement and employment throughout
their life span.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
4.3.1 Develop a national National Adult Not in place policy CEdO Director, Adult Education
policy for Adult Education, Education Policy published Adult Unit in
including standards for Education collaboration
programs and providers. Unit with PPRE Unit
4.3.2 Establish programmes National Adult Not in place in place in each CEdO Director, Adult Education
across the country to teach Literacy Program district Adult Unit in
literacy, civics, parenting Education collaboration
education and financial Unit with Curriculum
and Assessment
literacy to adult learners.
Unit
4.3.3 Work with employers Employer- 0 at least 2 per CEdO Director, Adult Education
to develop customized sponsored Adult district Adult Unit in
programs that can build the Education Program Education collaboration
capacity of their employees Unit with NTA and
TVET Unit
and boost productivity.
4.3.4 Support the National online Not in place operational CEdO Director, Adult Education
development of online adult Adult Education Adult Unit in
education programmes to Program Education collaboration
increase the number of Unit with Curriculum
and Assessment
Unit
113

Objective: Expand access to relevant adult education programs to build Belize’s human capital and upgrade the quality of the workforce.
Expected Outcome: Belizeans will be able to access relevant educational opportunities for self-improvement and employment throughout
their life span.
Owner Team
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
persons in the workforce with
secondary level qualifications.
4.3.5 Develop and PLAR manual drafted Manual CEdO Director, Adult Education
implement a system for prior published Adult Unit in
learning assessment and Education collaboration
recognition (PLAR) to Unit with Curriculum
and Assessment
facilitate certification of skills
Unit
gained through work
experience.
114
V. EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Table 27 outlines the expected outcomes of the BESPlan. Performance of the plan will be tracked through the use of key performance indicators
(KPIs). KPIs were selected to provide measures of progress in the areas of access, quality and equity, in each sector of education. Baseline figures
reflect data for the 2020/21 academic year or the most recent available year. In some instances, figures for both 2020/21 and 2019/20 are
included. This was done in cases where the COVID-19 pandemic may have had an unusual impact on the value of the indicator. Targets are based
on a theory of change, which rationalizes the differences between baselines and targets as a result of the outputs expected to be generated
from implementation of the various strategic actions.
TABLE 27 KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND THEORY OF CHANGE
Sector Key Performance Definition Baselines Targets Theory of Change
Indicators (2024/25) (from outputs to outcomes)
Pre- Pre-primary Gross The total number of students 34.2% 70% Increase in the number of preschools, the
primary Enrolment Ratio enrolled in preschools or (2020/21) introduction of an alternative preschool
preschool programs as a program, expansion of compulsory school
proportion of the total 3 and 4- 46.60% age and increased awareness of the
year-old population. (2019/20) importance of early childhood education
will result in more children attending
preschool.
Pre- % of Trained Preschool Percentage of preschool 67.6% 85% Continued support for the training of
primary Teachers teachers who have received at (2020/21) teachers and teacher education
least the minimum organized institutions, the introduction of a
pedagogical teacher training performance-based incentive system and
required for teaching at the improvements in governance and quality
preschool level. assurance will ensure that more preschool
teachers become trained.
115

Pre- 29
Early Childhood Percentage of children age 36- 52.50% 60.00% The establishment of policies, standards
primary Development in 59 months who are (2015/16) and mechanisms for quality assurance for
Literacy/Numeracy developmentally on track in preschools, the training of preschool
literacy-numeracy teachers and leaders, the implementation
of improved play-based curriculum, and
the development of screening tools will
result in more preschool children reaching
developmental milestones in literacy and
numeracy.
Pre- Location Parity Index-
30
Ratio of the total number of 0.59 0.90 The new preschools and alternative
primary Pre-primary GER rural students enrolled in (2019/20) education programs will benefit rural
preschools as a proportion of communities primarily and thus reduce the
the total 3-4-year-old rural gap between urban and rural enrolment in
population to the value of the pre-primary education.
same indicator for the urban
population.
Primary Apparent Intake Rate Number of new entrants in 84.1% 98% The implementation of the Healthy Start
Grade 1 in primary schools as (2020/21 Feeding Program, Rural Education Grant
a percentage of the population Fund, increase in access to early childhood
aged 5 years. 94.70% education and increased support for
(2019/20) children with special needs will result in
more children starting primary school on
time.
29
The figure for Early Childhood Development-Literacy/Numeracy is derived from MICS 5 which was conducted in 2015/16. Baselines and targets may be adjusted based on
the results of MICS 6 or the MOE Screening Tools which are to be developed.
30
Location Parity Index is calculated for a particular indicator by dividing the value for the rural population by the value for the urban population. The closer the resulting
figure is to 1, the greater the degree of equity between the rural and urban populations. A figure below 1 indicates that the rural population is at a disadvantage in that
particular indicator.
116

Primary % of Trained Primary Percentage of primary school 87.8% 98% Continued support for the training of
School Teachers teachers who have received at (2020/21) teachers and teacher education
least the minimum organized institutions, the introduction of a
pedagogical teacher training performance-based incentive system and
required for teaching at the improvements in governance and quality
primary school level. assurance will ensure that the vast
majority of primary school teachers
become trained.
Primary % of Primary School Percentage of students who 46.00% 55.0% The establishment of standards and
Students Proficient in earn a satisfactory grade on (2019/20) mechanisms for quality assurance for
English standardized English primary schools, the training of primary
examinations taken at the end school teachers and leaders, increased
of primary. support for children with special needs,
increase in access to early childhood
education, the implementation of a
streamlined and improved national
curriculum, the integration of science and
technology in teaching and learning and
the proper use of assessment for learning
will result in more primary school children
being successful on English exams.
Primary % of Primary School Percentage of students who 40.00% 45.0% The establishment of standards and
Students Proficient in earn a satisfactory grade on (2019/20) mechanisms for quality assurance for
Math standardized Math primary schools, the training of primary
examinations taken at the end school teachers and leaders, increased
of primary. support for children with special needs,
increase in access to early childhood
education, the implementation of a
streamlined and improved national
117

will result in more primary school children
being successful on Math exams.
Primary Location Parity Index- Ratio of the total number of 0.93 0.96 The National Healthy Start Feeding
Primary GER rural students enrolled in (2019/20) program and Rural Education Grant Fund
primary schools as a will benefit rural communities primarily
proportion of the total 5-12- and thus reduce the gap between urban
year-old rural population to and rural enrolment in primary education.
the value of the same indicator
for the urban population.
Secondary Secondary Net The total number of students 56.6% 75% The expansion of the compulsory school
Enrolment Rate 13 to 16 years of age enrolled (2020/21) age, secondary finance reform and free
in secondary schools as a digital devices and resources will result in
proportion of the total 13 more students attending secondary school.
to16-year-old population.
Secondary % of Trained Secondary Percentage of secondary 70.6% 80% Continued support for the training of
School Teachers school teachers who have (2020/21) teachers and teacher education
received at least the minimum institutions, the introduction of a
organized pedagogical teacher performance-based incentive system and
training required for teaching improvements in governance and quality
at the secondary level. assurance will result in more secondary
school teachers becoming trained.
Secondary % of secondary school The total number of final year 58.8% 65% The establishment of standards and
students Proficient in secondary school students who (2019/20) mechanisms for quality assurance for
English earn a satisfactory grade on a secondary schools, the training and
standardized English support of secondary school teachers and
examination as a proportion of leaders, the implementation of a
all fourth form students. streamlined and improved national
118

will result in more secondary school
students being successful on English
exams.
Secondary % of secondary school The total number of final year 22.8% 30% The establishment of standards and
students proficient in secondary school students who (2019/20) mechanisms for quality assurance for
Math earn a satisfactory grade on a secondary schools, the training and
standardized Math support of secondary school teachers and
examination as a proportion of leaders, the implementation of a
all fourth form students. streamlined and improved national
will result in more secondary school
students being successful on Math exams.
Secondary Wealth Parity Index-
31
Ratio of the proportion of 0.39 0.50 The expansion of the compulsory school
Secondary Net secondary school age children (2015/16) age, more targeted financial assistance
Attendance attending secondary school or system, and distribution of electronic
higher who are from the devices and resources will benefit students
poorest wealth index quintile from lower socio-economic households
to the value of the same primarily and thus reduce the gap in
indicator for those from the secondary attendance between the
richest wealth index quintile. poorest and richest wealth index quintiles.
31
Wealth Parity is calculated for a particular indicator by dividing the value for the population falling in the lowest wealth index quintile by the value for the population
falling in the highest wealth index quintile. The closer the resulting figure is to 1 the greater the degree of equity between the poorest and richest populations. A figure
below one shows that the poorest quintile is at a disadvantage in that particular indicator. The Wealth Parity Index indicated here is derived from the Multiple Indicator
Cluster Survey (MICS) 5 which was conducted in 2015. Baselines and targets may be adjusted based on the results of MICS 6.
119

TVET TVET Enrolment The total number of full-time 824 3000 The increased public and private sector
trainees enrolled in TVET (2020/21) investments and involvement in TVET and
Institutions. the introduction of the TVET scholarship
programs new trade and apprenticeship
programs and quality assurance
mechanisms will result in more persons
enrolling in ITVETs.
TVET Number of CVQs Number of CVQ certificates 0 120 The establishment of the National Training
Awarded issued to persons who meet (2020/21) Agency, the introduction of new trade and
competency requirements in apprenticeship programs, new standards
occupational trades for TVET instructors, and increased support
for ITVETs will result in trainees meeting
requirements for CVQs.
TVET Gender Parity Index-
32
Ratio of the number of female 0.29 0.35 The TVET scholarship program and new
TVET Enrolment trainees to the number of male (2020/21) trade programs will include targeted
trainees enrolled in ITVETs. provisions for females and thus attract
more females into ITVETs and reduce the
gap between male and female enrolment.
Tertiary Tertiary GER The total number of students 23.2% 28% The introduction of the High Priority
enrolled in tertiary institutions (2020/21) Education Fund and financial reform in the
(local junior colleges and tertiary sector will result in more students
universities) as a proportion of 24.1% opting to pursue tertiary education.
the total 17 to 21-year-old (2019/20)
population.
32
Gender Parity is calculated for a particular indicator by dividing the value for females by the value for males. The closer the resulting figure is to 1 the greater the degree
of equity between males and females. A figure below 1 indicates that females are at a disadvantage while a figure above 1 shows that males are at a disadvantage.
120

Tertiary % of Tertiary Percentage of tertiary 54% 60% The introduction of the Higher Education
Instructors with instructors who have a (2019/20) Commission, strengthening of the
Graduate Degrees Master’s or Doctorate degree regulations for tertiary institutions, and the
financial support for pursuing high priority
degrees will result in more tertiary
instructors earning graduate degrees.
Tertiary % of Tertiary Students The percentage of students in 30.1% 35.0% The increased involvement of the private
Enrolled in STEM tertiary institutions enrolled in (2019/20) sector and industry, financial support for
Programs Agriculture, Natural Sciences, STEM programs and students, and capacity
Information Communication building of instructors will result in more
Technology, Engineering, students enrolling in STEM programs.
Health and Welfare and
Mathematics.
Tertiary Gender Parity Index- Ratio of the number of female 1.70 1.60 The High Priority Education Fund and focus
Tertiary Enrolment students compared to the (2020/21) on STEM will provide more opportunities
number of male students for males to pursue tertiary education and
enrolled in tertiary institutions. 1.66 thus reduce the gap between male and
(2019/20) female enrolment in tertiary institutions.
ACE ACE Enrolment The total number of students 818 3000 Increased involvement of employers,
enrolled in ACE institutions. (2020/21) introduction of online programs, and
formal recognition of prior learning will
result in more adults pursuing further
education.
121

ACE % of Workforce with Number of persons as a 46.5% 55% Strengthening of the regulations for
Secondary or Tertiary proportion of the workforce (Sep. 2020) managing and administrating ACE
Education reporting having a secondary institutions, the introduction of the
or tertiary level education on 40.9% national literacy and alternative online
the Labour Force Survey (Sep. 2019) education programs, and increased
employer support will result in increased
education levels in the workforce.
ACE Gender Parity Index- Ratio of the number of female 1.74 1.35 The increased support of employers,
ACE Enrolment students compared to the (2020/21) availability of programs and PLAR system
number of male students will benefit males primarily and thus
enrolled in ACE institutions. 1.41 reduce the gap between male and female
(2019/20) enrolment in ACE programs.
122
VI. RISK MITIGATION MEASURES
Table 28 describes the likelihood and impact of potential risks to successful implementation of the BESPlan and proposed mitigation measures.
TABLE 28 RISK MITIGATION PLAN

Potential Risks Level of Potential Mitigating Measures
Likelihood Impact
1. Economic Uncertainty High High • incorporate BESPlan activities in annual cost centre
• lowering of budget ceilings budgets
• insufficient funds for planned activities • identify cost saving measures
• misalignment of budget with strategic • monitor and evaluate efficiency in spending
activities • explore external and additional sources of funding
• reduced family income and investment in • pool resources where possible and maximize use
education • target support to lower socio-economic families
• increased migration for economic reasons
2. Policy and Politics Low High • maintain sense of ownership for BESPlan among Ministry
• change in administration at Ministry level personnel and stakeholders
• change in strategic direction • lobby support for BESPlan from relevant line Ministries
• lack of buy-in from key line Ministries (e.g. Office of the Prime Minister, Ministries of Finance,
Economic Development)
3. Time Constraints Medium High • prioritize BESPlan activities
• being pulled away on urgent matters • ensure that BESPlan activities are a part of each Unit’s
(“firefighting”) and officer’s work plan
• difficulty finding time to meet due to • have a detailed and well-outlined action plan
conflicting schedules and competing priorities • dedicate time for BESPlan meetings
4. Human Resource Constraints Medium Medium • fill vacancies where possible

• limited number of officers to implement plan • identify and add staff for key activities as appropriate
• unfilled vacancies • identify and support training opportunities
• low capacity and expertise in some areas • outsource activities where necessary
123
Potential Risks Level of Potential Mitigating Measures

Likelihood Impact
5. Waning Commitment Medium High • utilize effective change management methodologies
• possible resistance to some of the proposed • clarify roles and responsibilities and monitor
changes commitment to meeting responsibilities
• desire to hold on to individual fiefdoms /turfs • demonstrate accountability for results, acknowledge
• cynicism regarding political will for changes contributions and celebrate small milestones
among Ministry personnel and stakeholders • build partnerships and relationships within the Ministry
• planning fatigue and with stakeholders
• ensure that targets are practical and achievable and that
actions are sustained
6. Communication Gaps Medium Medium • establish systems for reporting on BESPlan regularly and
• working in silos widely
• failure to share plans and updates • communicate openly and consistently internally and with
• failure to consult with key stakeholders external stakeholders
• identify champions within each group of stakeholders
• respond to concerns thoroughly and in a timely manner
7. Natural Disasters High High • build capacity for delivery of remote education
• economic and social effects of COVID-19 • ensure new facilities are hurricane-proof
pandemic • provide training on disaster-preparedness
• possible hurricanes, drought • implement risk mitigation plan alongside BESPlan
• inability to reach students
• possibility of damage to infrastructure and
loss of resources and investments
124
VII.FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS
Table 29 lists the primary resources required for each strategic action and the source of financing. In most cases, strategic actions can
be implemented using existing expertise and financial resources through the MoECST Recurrent and Capital II Expenditure budgets.
Some external expertise and resources will require Capital III funding from local, regional and international donor agencies, such as
the Belize Social Investment Fund, UNICEF, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Available grants and loan funds will be used to prioritize BESPlan strategic actions.
TABLE 29 FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS
CODE STRATEGIC ACTION PRIMARY RESOURCES SOURCE OF FINANCING
1.1.1 Update the mission and organizational structure of the In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
Ministry of Education to enable better communication and assistance from the Expenditure-Emoluments
collaboration and greater efficiency and effectiveness in Ministry of Public Service
service delivery.
1.1.2 Develop terms of reference for each position, office and In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
area of service to provide clarity in roles and assistance from the Expenditure-Emoluments
responsibilities. Ministry of Public Service
1.1.3 Develop a performance-based appraisal and recognition In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
system for Ministry of Education staff and address assistance from the Expenditure-Emoluments
identified professional development needs. Ministry of Public Service
1.1.4 Implement a comprehensive rebranding and In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
communication strategy to build the Ministry’s public external support from Expenditure-
image and capacity to inform and engage internal and media firms Emoluments,
external stakeholders. Advertisement, Contracts
and Consultancies
125
1.1.5 Maximize the use of BEMIS and other technologies to In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
digitize the Ministry’s processes and services. Expenditure-Emoluments,
Materials and Supplies
1.2.1 Review and rationalize school financing policies and In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
mechanisms at all levels of the education system to assistance from External Expenditure-Emoluments,
increase equity and incentivize performance, achievement Expertise-Education Materials and Supplies,
and continuous improvement. Finance Contracts and
Consultancies
1.2.2 Provide free access to education from preschool to junior Financial Resources MoECST Recurrent
college. Expenditure-Scholarships
and Grants
1.2.3 Establish a Rural Education Grant Fund to increase access Financial Resources MoECST Recurrent
to education for students from rural areas. Expenditure-Scholarships
and Grants
1.2.4 Ensure that all students and teachers from Standard 4 to Material and Financial Capital III Expenditure
Form 4 have access to high speed internet or an Resources-equipment, (equipment); MoECST
alternative wireless service and to an appropriate digital service charge Recurrent Expenditure-
device. Contracts and
Consultancies (service
charge)
1.2.5 Establish an audit unit within the Ministry of Education to Human resources, travel MoECST Recurrent
ensure accountability for public funds. and subsistence Expenditure-Emoluments,
1.3.1 Conduct a comprehensive review and revision of In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
education legislation, regulations and policies, including support from External Expenditure-
those related to education councils, commissions and Expertise-Legal Drafting Emoluments, Contracts
boards, to increase effectiveness in the governance of the and Consultancies
education system.
126
1.3.2 Expand compulsory education to include students at the In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
preschool and secondary levels of education. support from External Expenditure-
Expertise-Legal Drafting Emoluments, Contracts
and Consultancies
1.3.3 Introduce a mechanism for the empowerment and In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
meaningful participation of parents in school-level and Expenditure-Emoluments,
national-level decision-making on education issues. Materials and Supplies
1.3.4 Establish standards and school monitoring and support In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
systems for pre-primary, primary and secondary Expenditure-Emoluments,
institutions to ensure delivery of quality services and Materials and Supplies
continuous school improvement.
1.3.5 Ensure that all managing authorities and principals receive In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
relevant leadership training in areas such as education Expenditure-Emoluments,
regulations, clinical supervision, financial management, Materials and Supplies
school self-assessment and improvement planning.
2.1.1 Develop a National Curriculum Reform Framework, based In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
on International Bureau of Education and UNESCO support from stakeholders Expenditure-Emoluments,
standards, to guide the development of national Materials and Supplies
curriculum at the pre-primary, primary and secondary
levels of education with a focus on student competency.
2.1.2 Use the National Curriculum Reform Framework to In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
streamline the curriculum at the primary and secondary Expenditure-Emoluments,
levels and to allow for in-depth acquisition of the literacy, Materials and Supplies
numeracy, technological and critical thinking skills needed
in the 21st Century.
127
2.1.3 Ensure that subjects which promote physical and mental In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
wellness and sustainable human development, including Expenditure-Emoluments,
the expressive arts, physical education, civics, Belizean, Materials and Supplies
African and Mayan History, gardening, agriculture,
environmental education and entrepreneurship, are
integrated into the national curriculum at all levels.
2.1.4 Develop a National School Portal and learning platform In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
with quality resources for teachers and students to Expenditure-Emoluments,
facilitate remote learning and appropriate implementation Materials and Supplies
of the national curriculum.
2.1.5 Implement a revised and expanded national textbook Material resources: books, MoECST Recurrent
program at the primary and secondary levels of education software Expenditure-Contracts
with free learning resources that are aligned to the and Consultancies
national curriculum
2.2.1 Develop a national student assessment policy and scheme External Expertise- MoECST Recurrent
for the Belize education system, including a mechanism for Measurement and Expenditure-Contracts
the effective use of assessment results to impact Evaluation and Consultancies
education policies and practices at both the school and
system levels.
2.2.2 Strengthen the expertise within the Examinations Unit to External Expertise- MoECST Recurrent
develop quality diagnostic and standardized assessments. Measurement and Expenditure-Contracts
Evaluation and Consultancies
2.2.3 Upgrade the technology and infrastructure used in the Material Resources: Capital II Expenditure
administration and analysis of examinations to improve equipment and software
timeliness and usefulness of results.
128
2.2.4 Develop a suite of appropriate screening tools, diagnostic In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
tests and standardized examinations that are aligned to support from External Expenditure-Emoluments,
national curriculum benchmarks at all levels and in Expertise-Measurement Contracts and
accordance with the new assessment policy and scheme. and Evaluation Consultancies
2.2.5 Develop teacher resources and provide training to In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
teachers in administering screening tools and diagnostic Expenditure-Emoluments,
tests and in the use of appropriate assessment strategies Materials and Supplies
to promote learning.
2.3.1 Upgrade the teacher education programs at all levels to In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
ensure that teachers have the specialized content support from External Expenditure-Emoluments,
knowledge and pedagogical skills needed to deliver the Expertise-Teacher Contracts and
national curriculum effectively to all students. Education Consultancies
2.3.2 Ensure that teachers at the pre-primary, primary and In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
secondary levels of education and all teacher educators support from External Expenditure-Emoluments,
and professional development facilitators are Expertise-Teacher Materials and Supplies,
appropriately trained. Education Contracts and
Consultancies
2.3.3 Establish a Teacher Learning Institute to provide In-house expertise MoECST Recurrent
structured, comprehensive, year-round professional Expenditure-Emoluments,
development programs based on identified needs of Materials and Supplies
teachers and school leaders.
2.3.4 Establish a STEAM Laboratory School to promote effective In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
and innovative teaching in the areas of Science, support from External Expenditure-Emoluments
Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. Expertise-Construction, (human resources);
Curriculum Design Capital III Expenditure
(building supplies and
equipment, External
Expertise-(Construction,
Curriculum Design)
129
2.3.5 Revise the appraisal system for teachers and school In-house expertise MoECST Recurrent
leaders and introduce performance-based incentive Expenditure-Emoluments
mechanisms to promote school improvement and student
achievement.
3.1.1 Collaborate with relevant line Ministries to develop an In-house expertise with MoECST Recurrent
updated national policy and strategy for Early Childhood support from Ministries of Expenditure-Emoluments,
Education and Development in Belize. Health and Human Materials and Supplies
Development
3.1.2 Establish a comprehensive, play-oriented preschool and In-house expertise MoECST Recurrent
lower primary education curriculum which includes Expenditure-Emoluments,
reading, visual arts, dancing, planting, music, civics and an Materials and Supplies
introduction to technology.
3.1.3 Expand access to preschool education for 3 and 4 year olds External Expertise-Design Capital II and Capital III
by building new preschools and attaching preschools to and Construction Expenditure
existing primary schools where possible.
3.1.4 Develop alternative preschool programs in areas where In-house expertise with MoECST Recurrent
traditional preschools are not feasible. external funding for Expenditure-Emoluments;
material resources Capital III Expenditure-
material and financial
resources
3.1.5 Develop an ECE public awareness campaign with key In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
messages including the importance of early childhood external support from Expenditure-
stimulation, education and development. media firms Emoluments,
Advertisement, Contracts
and Consultancies
3.2.1 Establish a National Healthy Start Feeding Program with a Material and Financial MoECST Capital II
school gardening component to provide nutritional Resources Expenditure; Capital III
support for students from low income families. Expenditure
130
3.2.2 Increase the availability of trained school counsellors at Financial Resources MoECST Recurrent
the primary level to address the psychosocial needs of Expenditure-Scholarships
students. and Grants
3.2.3 Design and implement school-wide programs that In-house expertise with MoECST Recurrent
promote social and emotional learning and encourage support from various line Expenditure-Emoluments,
positive discipline and restorative practices at school and Ministries and social service Materials and Supplies
in the home. organizations
3.2.4 Work with social service organizations to strengthen the In-house expertise with MoECST Recurrent
system for identifying and supporting children with social support from various line Expenditure-Emoluments,
barriers to inclusion and learning, including refugees, Ministries and social service Materials and Supplies
students living in poverty and those from remote rural organizations
areas.
3.2.5 Design and implement support programs that target In-house expertise with MoECST Recurrent
increased retention and achievement of students in support from various line Expenditure-Emoluments,
primary and secondary schools, with particular attention Ministries and social service Materials and Supplies
to boys. organizations
3.3.1 Strengthen the legislative, regulatory and policy In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
framework to ensure that children with special needs have support from External Expenditure-
access to quality and relevant education in the most Expertise-Legal Drafting Emoluments, Contracts
enabling environment. and Consultancies
3.3.2 Ensure that special schools, classrooms and other facilities External Expertise-Design Capital II and Capital III
that serve students with special education needs, and Construction Expenditure
including NaRCIE, have appropriate accommodations and
resources for students and staff.
131
3.3.3 Improve education and support services for students with In-house expertise with MoECST Recurrent
special education needs, including referral and diagnosis support from various line Expenditure-Emoluments,
processes, learning support, development of life skills and, Ministries and social service Materials and Supplies
where applicable, successful transition into further organizations
education, TVET or the world of work.
3.3.4 Increase the availability of resources and services in key In-house expertise with MoECST Recurrent
areas such as speech therapy, physical therapy, support from various line Expenditure-Emoluments,
occupational therapy, diagnostics, and paraprofessional Ministries and social service Materials and Supplies
support, especially in rural communities. organizations
3.3.5 Implement a sustained public awareness campaign, school In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
sensitization program and support groups to encourage external support from Expenditure-
greater acceptance and understanding of the rights of media firms Emoluments,
students with special education needs. Advertisement, Contracts
and Consultancies
4.1.1 Establish a National Training Agency, with oversight from In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
the NCTVET, to be responsible for quality assurance and support from External Expenditure-
coordination of the TVET sector and award of national and Expertise-Legal Drafting Emoluments, Contracts
regional vocational qualifications. and Consultancies
4.1.2 Upgrade the infrastructure, equipment and technical Material Resources Capital II and Capital III
expertise in all ITVETs to comply with regional standards Expenditure
for delivery of quality TVET programs.
4.1.3 Establish standards, employment policies and In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
remuneration schemes to attract trainers with high support from NCTVET Expenditure-Emoluments,
quality, relevant and up-to-date expertise and experience Materials and Supplies
in the TVET sector.
4.1.4 Establish a TVET Scholarship Fund to train a cadre of Financial Resources MoECST Recurrent
skilled workers each year in high priority areas and new Expenditure-Scholarships
growth industries. and Grants
132
4.1.5 Collaborate with industries and the private sector to In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
design and implement trade and apprenticeship programs support from NCTVET, Expenditure-Emoluments,
that will attract more students into ITVETs, with particular National Training Agency Materials and Supplies
emphasis on increasing the number of females and high and business and industry
school graduates.
4.2.1 Establish a Higher Education Council with government, In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
academia and private sector partners to set standards and support from External Expenditure-
provide quality assurance and accreditation for higher Expertise-Legal Drafting Emoluments, Contracts
education institutions in Belize. and Consultancies
4.2.2 Develop regulations and policies to guide the management In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
and staffing of government and grant-aided junior support from External Expenditure-
colleges. Expertise-Legal Drafting Emoluments, Contracts
and Consultancies
4.2.3 Establish a Higher Education Fund and other financial Financial Resources MoECST Recurrent
assistance programs to encourage students to pursue Expenditure-Scholarships
studies in high priority areas such as STEM and provide and Grants
special incentives for currently underrepresented groups
such as males.
4.2.4 Facilitate university and junior college faculty in pursuing Financial Resources MoECST Recurrent
advanced qualifications in areas of national priority. Expenditure-Scholarships
and Grants
4.2.5 Support the University of Belize and other higher Financial Resources MoECST Recurrent
education institutions to build their capacity to conduct Expenditure-Scholarships
research in areas of national priority. and Grants
4.3.1 Develop a national policy for Adult Education, including In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
standards for programs and providers. Expenditure-Emoluments,
133
4.3.2 Establish programmes across the country to teach literacy, In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
civics, parenting education and financial literacy to adult Expenditure-Emoluments,
learners. Materials and Supplies
4.3.3 Work with employers to develop customized programs In-house Expertise with MoECST Recurrent
that can build the capacity of their employees and boost support from NCTVET, Expenditure-Emoluments,
productivity. National Training Agency Materials and Supplies
and business and industry
4.3.4 Support the development of online adult education In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
programmes to increase the number of persons in the Expenditure-Emolument,
workforce with secondary level qualifications. Materials and Supplies s
4.3.5 Develop and implement a system for prior learning In-house Expertise MoECST Recurrent
assessment and recognition (PLAR) to facilitate Expenditure-Emoluments,
certification of skills gained through work experience. Materials and Supplies
134
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© GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE 2021

The Belize Education Sector Plan 2021-2025

Technology is central to our Education

Hon. Francis W. Fonseca

Thank you for your efforts to make

The responsibility to deliver on this vision for

Senior Management Team

Logistics and Technical Support

3. Prioritizing Underserved Sectors ....................................................................................................... 53

Tables and Figures

Figure 1 Population by Age Groups, 2011-2020 ........................................................................................... 2

Acronyms and Abbreviations

ACE Adult Continuing Education

MPS Ministry of Public Service

FIGURE 1 POPULATION BY AGE GROUPS, 2011-2020

0-14 years 15-64 years 65 years and above

Source: UNDP, 2020

FIGURE 2 SCHOOL-AGE POPULATION, 2011 AND 2020 Implications for Education

Great Britain in 1981. This socio-political

Table 1 outlines trends in Belize’s Gross

TABLE 1 GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT BY ACTIVITY (BZ$ MILLION)

Industry 2000 2010 2019p

Belize’s per capita income places it in the As shown in Figure 4, compared to

level of education (64%). 1.0

FIGURE 3 POVERTY RATES BY DISTRICT, 2009 AND 2018

Source: Statistical Institute of Belize

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has

Implications for Education

Additionally, the country’s geographic location

The implications for education are clear.

2. The Education System

TABLE 2 NUMBER AND TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

TABLE 3 STUDENT ENROLMENT BY LEVEL AND SECTOR, 2015-2020

Sector 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020p

ACE 1,146 1,211 1,167 1,157 1,085 1,085

Total 108,677 108,154 107,264 107,531 106,689 100,477

110.7 110.0 109.0 108.3 106.4

50.5 48.9 47.4 47.7 46.6

21.3% Preprimary Primary

Sources: UNDP; PPRE Unit-MoECST

Table 4 records the number and percentage

TABLE 4 OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION, 2019 AND 2020

In school Out of School In School Out of School

3-4yrs 7,932 50.5% 7,764 49.5% 4,047 25.7% 11,711 74.3%

13-16yrs 22,152 70.4% 9,336 29.6% 24,972 80.3% 6,140 19.7%

4 CURRENT ACCESS TO AND USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Accessibility only 16% of preschools and 11% of primary

FIGURE 8 DISTANCE LEARNING FORMATS AT SECONDARY SCHOOLS BY DISTRICT, 2020

Belize District Cayo District Corozal District

Source: PPRE Unit, MoECST

solely through online instruction. At this level, 81%

The TVET sector was hit especially hard as

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, internet

94% 100% 95% 100%

Preprimary Primary Secondary

Source: PPRE Unit, MoECST

Use of Technology Online lessons at the preschool and primary

Age Group Education Level