So while that event was being held at the front of the ITVET Compound, a heated innovators' competition went on inside the ITVET Courtyard this morning. It was held by the same organizers and featured some 17 high schools from the District of Belize. This is the third year that the event is being held. Each year participants are given innovative challenges. This year it was in the field of education. We spoke to the organizers and the champs of last year's competition and learned more about their innovative idea for this year.
Lia Flur, Dir., Corp. Engagement, Peace work
"In the courtyard we have a high school innovation challenge. Seventeen teams across Belize District have come together to create innovative solutions to a case study on innovation and education."
Carol Babb, Chief Education Officer
"Innovation and Education, that's the challenge that each school has been given, so they are to come up with some solutions as to what they'd like to see education be. Many times we as adults think that we have all the answers but young people might advise us and tell us how education should be. Maybe if we listen to them and take their advice, maybe we'd have more students attending classes, our results would be better. The Ministry of Education is very interested in hearing what these young people have to say to all of us at the Ministry of Education."
Emanuel Pech
"What are some of these advices that are coming from the students?"
Carol Babb, Chief Education Officer
"I've heard some of them saying that we have to use more technology, we are in a technological era. They said that they shouldn't be carrying heavy bags no more in this technological time, so they are saying use more technology and since they are so technologically wired and they are natives, they believe that more students will stay in school and do much better."
Kimberly Sotz, Ocean Academy
"Our idea was apply learning, because basically the students are in their classrooms, their bored and not really into what the teachers are teaching with pens and pencils in front of them. They want to go out and explore, learn it themselves, apply it so that they can gain more knowledge. The idea was from our school because they implemented it in our school; they made it a part of our curriculum. For us we decided to develop the idea for everyone in different high schools to have a chance to experience this as we have."
At the end of the competition the Belize Ocean Academy from Caye Caulker was acknowledged as the over all winners retaining their title from last year. 2nd place went to San Pedro High School and 3rd place went to Ladyville Technical High school.
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