M.O.E. Says They Offered Opportunities to Teachers

Carol Babb

The Belize National Teachers Union supports licensing and says that over the years; teachers were constantly reminded that to keep their jobs, they have to have to obtain the appropriate level of education. Minister Faber as well as Chief Education Officer spoke this morning about the opportunities the ministry provided to teachers. 

Dr. Carol Babb, Chief Education Officer

“The ministry had offered a certificate in education program and it was offered over a three or five year period and it was offered free of cost. And that is for those teachers who had content; like maybe an associate’s degree in science, but did not have pedagogy. So then if you were in that category and then you took the certificate in education program, then you would have attained your full license. Also the ministry gives scholarships every year to teachers; they go on study leave and they get their…well if you go for more than a year, you get eighty percent of your salaries. So the ministry has offered many programs to assist these teachers in these areas. I know the certificate in education program was offered in the districts; even on the cayes it was offered. So there were no excuses for those teachers who had an associate or a bachelor’s degree in a certain content area, but did not have pedagogy.”

Patrick Faber

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“In addition to that, we worked with our partners, the European Union for instance in the south with the banana measures, we were able to offer teacher training for primary and secondary. In the north, we are doing that now with vo-tech teachers and also early childhood teachers. I will tell you that we have been offer more in terms of opportunities and also in terms of financing to primary school teachers and that was the focus of the ministry in terms of giving assistance. I hasten to point out though that it is not the ministry’s responsibility to offer opportunities for training or finances for training so when the ministry does that, it is really trying to give assistance.”