Phase 2 of The Belize Education Sector Reform Project was launched today. While phase one focused on sharpening the policy direction in the ministry –
phase 2 is all about building new schools – 35 of them for 5300 students to get more equitable access to education. That includes 22 new pre-schools,
five primary schools, and eight secondary schools. It's a huge 18.3 million dollar education sector reform project funded by the Caribbean Development
Bank. At the launching today at the Biltmore in Belize City, education Minister Patrick Faber explained how they decided where to put the new schools:
Hon. Patrick Faber - Minister of Education
"The location of these schools have been determined scientifically, it is based on a school mapping model that considers the current supply of school
spaces as against current and projected demand as determined by population projections. People look at it and say how you determine that you will build
that school there; breaking it down for some people. Why is it that you are putting a school there, why can't I get a school here? That has been the
problem in this country as it relates to the school; everybody wants their own school in their own village to do their own thing. My friends we cannot
continue in that way."
"We are looking at these areas where there is an under service in terms of the education services to the students who are in need and that is where we
are putting the schools. We are putting together how we will go about putting the plans together, how the buildings are going to be designed, where are
going to find the land to put the schools. And once that is done then I believe we should move rather quickly to see the construction of these
buildings."
"One of the areas that has been identified where a school would be needed is the gungulung area of Belize City. Now we know that we want to put a
school in gungulung but where exactly will we find the land is the issue they will work out in a couple of days. So that's what I'm talking about, not
about the general location of where the school would be but the specific portion of land we will build the school on, that is what we are doing to be
working on now."
All the new schools will be built on government land, and the buildings will be government owned and maintained. But Faber went to pains to say that
this doesn't mean a renunciation of the church/state system:..
Hon. Patrick Faber - Minister of Education
"This minister, this ministry of education under this minister; this ministry of education under the leadership of our current prime minister has no
wish, no desire to interrupt, to break up the church state system, partnership of education in this country; are you hearing me loud and clear? Hear me
but these schools are going to be built and owned by the government and we will engage our denominational partners in managing these schools."
After the project launch, education managers went into a two-day workshop where CDB officials presented on a range of related topics.
The new schools will include 178 classrooms and laboratories, as well sanitary and administrative spaces. The project will also fully outfit the
schools with furniture, equipment and technology.
Faber says that depending on how judiciously the money is spent, they hope to build more than 35 schools.
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