Multimillion Dollar Education Project Launched in the North
Jose Mai
The University of Belize, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports and the European Union today launched a two-year project at the Corozal Junior College to upgrade the quality and relevance of early childhood and secondary education in the north. The project, valued at over three million Belize dollars, seeks to increase access to professional development programs for teachers at the Early Childhood and Secondary Education levels while providing opportunities for parents in these communities to be sensitized on early childhood education. The official ceremonies were held at the Rudolph Wade Auditorium at the Corozal Community College and the Dean of the Junior College told News Five more.
Jose Mai, Dean, Corozal Junior College
“We are partnering with the University of Belize on a project to provide opportunities for teachers in the early childhood sector and the secondary education sector. And the way in which we are collaborating with them is to provide them with classroom space, office space, technology support and this has been our way of working along with the University of Belize which we consider a very good partner.”
Reporter
“What all will CJC have in store when working in collaboration with the University of Belize?”
Jose Mai
“Well we are provided them a service in order to facilitate the program. In providing a service, we expect to get some funding for it and I think that will certainly help us to work on certain projects here at the institution.”
Reporter
“What is your sentiment towards this project improving equality and relevance of early childhood and secondary development in the north?”
Jose Mai
“Well we are all aware that there are challenges in the primary school system, in the high school system where it is important to have our teachers upgraded. And so this provides them that kind of opportunity particularly in the early childhood sector because we know that is the level where we can make a big difference and have an impact on our young minds so that later on they can develop to their fullest potential. And also in the secondary education sector, it is also important to ensure that we have the proper training given to our teachers in the high schools because in turn the ones that are going to benefit significantly are going to be our students and our students are of course very important to all of us. With our kids developing to their fullest potential, we can certainly expect that they will most naturally go into their communities and will make a significant difference there. That is our hope and that is our expectation.”
Mai says that the institution is looking at partnering with the University of Belize to offer other programs to residents in the north.
