Rural areas remain calm amidst urban stress

But in the rest of the Belize District it was business as usual at most of the village schools. Teachers we spoke with in Gracie Rock say that while they are in full support of industrial action taken by their union, their presence in the classroom is for the sake of the children, especially those that are preparing for the Primary School Exams later this year. But in La Democracia the playground at the Government School was eerily empty. In Frank’s Eddy school authorities report that, about ten out of a hundred and twenty children showed up for classes this morning, forcing the principal to send those who had showed up back home. The staff used the free time to prepare teaching aids and reorganise their library, while the children we saw spent their time playing, or with parents doing chores around the house.