There’s a Growing Demand for MOE’s Educational Resources

Carol Babb

When she spoke with reporters today, Doctor Carol Babb also gave an update on the progress of the ministry’s educational programmes for students. As you know, the ministry is offering academic resources for students to do work via lessons aired on television and radio; as well as hard copies made available for those living in rural areas. Doctor Babb says that the ministry will be increasing the output of its printed materials as there’s a growing demand for the resources.

Dr. Carol Babb, Chief Education Officer

“We have different modalities. We are doing online lessons for those who have access to television and radio. We are also delivering hard packages, the actual paper, the same lessons that are online so students can have access to those packages and so they will be distributed to every district and parents can have them at various locations, major stores, financial institutions, etc…”

Andrea Polanco

“Have you received an update if families are going to collect the hard copies?”

Dr. Carol Babb

“Yes, we have. Actually when we didn’t have them in Belize City, parents were calling. They do want their children to have these packages. They want their children to be engaged at this time.”

Reporter

“Will you ramp up the amount of booklets being made and the speed at which they reach the stores?”

Dr. Carol Babb

“I think next week when we get the new set we will get them on a more timely basis. We are printing twenty-thousand for primary and preschool and ten thousand for secondary schools. As you know there are only about sixty secondary schools and there are about three hundred primary schools and there are about three hundred primary schools across the country. So, the demand for primary is definitely more and we are going to try our best to meet the needs of students.”

Reporter

“Since you don’t have that ritual of going to class; that urgency that scholars face having to keep up with their homework or lessons, that students may not be motivated or fall behind because of this event?”

Dr. Carol Babb

“Well, we realize that this is a unprecedented time and this has never happened in the history of Belize. So, we are appealing to parents because school is not open as it normally should. So, we appeal to parents to ensure that the children are doing the online activities or using the hard copy to make sure that they are making good use of this time that they are at home.”