Private trade school increases enrolment
Finding ways to turn direction-less youths into productive citizens has been a high priority for a generation of Belizean politicians and educators. Today, we highlight two of the latest efforts at vocational training, one a new endeavour in Ladyville and the other at a more established school in Belize City. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods reports.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
This afternoon ceremonies inaugurating the first privately owned vocational facility took place in Ladyville. Tubal Trade and Vocational institute is owned and managed by Lyndon and Lavern Bailey.
Lavern Bailey, Co-Director, Tubal Vocational Institute
“Well this is an opportunity for them to help themselves and to make something of themselves in society.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What courses will be offered here?”
Lyndon Bailey, Co-Director, Tubal Vocational Institute
“We have introduction to computers, auto mechanic, welding, plumbing, electrical and we have some up coming courses that will be introduced a little bit later.”
The Bailey’s say it was out of their concern over the increase of crime that they decided to offer youths the knowledge they can use to improve their lives.
Lyndon Bailey
“When you hear of all the problems we have with the youths, when you walk around Belize City and the villages, you see our young teenagers on the street side standing up, don’t know what to do, what their future is. And I decide that to turn crime around we have to start at the bottom, so I believe that with this institution, starting with the younger men and women, we could make a difference.”
The institute is one that government fully supports. Area Representative for Belize Rural Central, Ralph Fonseca, says the programme is a noble undertaking with special relevance for the quickly expanding communities of Ladyville and Lords Bank.
Ralph Fonseca, Area Rep., Belize Rural Central
“The greatest need that has surfaced, has been for people that are technically trained. Everything from engineers, all the way down to, as you heard the Prime Minister, plumbers; right now that’s the biggest problem that we have. Contracting companies are beginning to employ people from outside of Belize. And we think that Belizean people have the background, they have the basic education, so it’s very easy for them to pick up some of these skills and become employable. At the same time, we have an old, almost archaic system that once existed in Belize where you’re basically trained, as the Prime Minister said, to be a glorified clerk. So we’re trying to…a big part of the reform in education is to move education to more relevant education.”
Presently there are seventy-five students enrolled at the institution. The Bailey’s say the government has given added support by providing scholarships for another one hundred and forty applicants to attend the school. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
For those unfamiliar with the Bible, the institute is named after Tubal Cain, a master metalworker described in the Old Testament.
