Developing an Individual Child Tracking System in Belize
The annual early childhood development conference of the Ministry of Education concluded today in San Ignacio. A team of experts have been looking at the implementation of a child tracking system that will bring together data from relevant ministries which deal with issues affecting children. News Five’s Duane Moody reports on the important information sharing system.
Duane Moody, Reporting
A two-day early childhood development education conference concluded today in San Ignacio where stakeholders are looking at several areas including care for child development, tracking and screening of children as well as assisting those living with disabilities. It is part of the education showcase agenda for 2019. ECD Consultant Juan-Carlos Reyes Ortiz provided expertise on Individual Child Tracking Systems.
Juan-Carlos Reyes Ortiz
Juan-Carlos Reyes Ortiz, ECD Consultant
“The importance of building up integrated data systems that will allow countries as Belize to track children individual. This is an important step that many other countries are taking as they understand the importance of sharing information between sectors and ministries and between data systems in order to better collaborate and to better work together to improve the developmental conditions of children.”
UNICEF is a partner in the development of women and children in Belize and also participated in the conference as a major stakeholder having provided support to the government.
Denise Robateau
Denise Robateau, UNICEF
“We advocate for the rights of the child. We support in financial resources as well as bringing in the technical experts to support the government, primarily the three ministries—for education, health and human development. And so as a part of the collaboration, we have worked along with the early childhood development technical working group in developing the early childhood development strategic plan as well as a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan.”
The child tracking system is expected to mitigate some of the major challenges in providing the necessary support to children.
Juan-Carlos Reyes Ortiz
“Every ministry or sector has its own data system and information is not necessarily flowing or being exchanged between sectors. And as you know, early childhood development is mainly a collaborative and intersectoral effort and that will require sharing information and working together. Somehow health issues could benefit from educational settings or educational services and the other way around. So that moving in that direction will allow not for sectors and services to work better but also to strengthen collaborative efforts.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
