Ministry celebrates Education Week
On Sunday, the Ministry of Education officially launched Education Week. The week of activities is being celebrated under the theme: “Better Schools, Better Citizens, Better Belize: Whatever It Takes, It’s Everybody’s Business.” Schools countrywide will mark the occasion except for the Corozal District due to the threat of influenza A (H1N1). One of the highlights is an expo for primary, secondary and tertiary schools. The Ministry of Education has one of the largest budgets but it is also one that is facing a myriad of challenges. Minister of Education, Patrick Faber made an appearance of this morning’s Open Your Eyes and said the situation is far from ideal.
Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“We have less than our high school age population in high school, we still have not reached that hundred percent mark for attendance in primary school. We have a lot of issues with management of schools. We have issues now popping up between parents and teachers and principals and management of schools. Of course, the financing of education continues to be a problem. Finding enough space, access is also another major problem. We have issues at the tertiary level. So, if we are to look at the state right now, I would have to say that it is a state that we are not altogether pleased with. But as I mentioned in my message for the opening of education week, we are hopeful and we call on everybody to do their part because it’s not only the minister of education or the ministry of education that has a role to play in fixing what is wrong with education, rather it is everybody’s business.”
Carol Babb, Dep. Chief Education Officer, Min. of Education
“A child friendly school is a school where the child’s total needs are being met. We are talking about a child who goes to school: if that child cannot read, that need is being addressed; if the child has some health problems, that need is being addressed. We’re looking at feeding: if that child’s nutrition is not being met, then we also address that. Child friendly school is a wonderful way to go because it looks at the total development of the child.”
Patrick Faber
“We are pleased to announce that in terms of Stann Creek and Toledo, every single child who is in standard six and who will participate in a graduation ceremony in May or June of this year will receive that subsidy to ensure that they can get the opportunity to go to high school. We continue with the subsidy in the other four districts but it will be through the application process for now.”
Deputy Chief Education Officer, Carol Babb, told News Five this evening that due to the influenza scare, Teachers Day which was scheduled for Friday has been postponed to June twelfth.
