Min. of Education considers extending teachers’ retirement age
This morning the Ministry of Education and representatives from different ministries of government as well as teachers, principals and non-governmental organizations got together to develop recommendations for a ten year Education Sector Strategy. One of the main objectives of the seminar is to review the development and delivery of education services in Belize. News Five was there for the opening.
Ernest Raymond Sr., Director, Primary Education Project
“Actually what we hope to accomplish is a gathering of ideas, suggestions and recommendations from the clients and stake-holders of the education system. Their views are important to this process to develop an education sector strategy. At the end of this process what will follow is putting together a ten year education plan which we hope will address the issues of access, quality, equity, relevance and efficiency in our education efforts.”
Minister of Education Cordel Hyde says the recommendations made at today’s session will be incorporated into a long-term plan.
Cordel Hyde, Minister of Education
“That we will have a national plan that everyone will agree with for the next ten years. We don’t want to be short term with five years. I think that has been the mistake in the past. We must plan for the future.”
Hyde adds that despite a great number of difficulties his Ministry will do everything possible to ensure a good education for our youths.
Cordel Hyde
“We have major problems. As I said these are tough times. Forty- three percent of our children ages thirteen to sixteen are not in school. Half of our kids are not in school. They are not performing well. We definitely have to improve access and efficiency in terms of financing. We are spending the biggest chunk of the budget on education, but we are not achieving the coverage on levels of quality that we should be getting.”
To help improve the quality of education, Minister Hyde says it is critical to keep more mature teachers on staff at the nation’s schools. There is a proposal to change the requirement that trained teachers retire at fifty-five.
Cordel Hyde
“A lot of teachers who are fifty-five are still pretty young. They still have a lot to contribute. We are wasting our human resources when we retire our teachers at such a young age. So certainly this government will be receptive to the idea of having these teachers continue longer and being more productive.”
Hyde says that three new schools will be opened this year and the Ministry of Education is looking closely into providing enough textbooks for every child since in some schools up to three children have to share one textbook. Reporting for News Five, I am Hyacinth Latchman.
The National Consultation Seminar was held at the Radisson Fort George Hotel.
