B.H.S. Hoping to be Included in the Reopening of Schools Pilot Project

Minister of Education Francis Fonseca recently commented on plans to kickstart the reopening of schools for all Belizean students in August and September and a possible phased reopening even earlier.  Principal Jamie Usher of Belize High School spoke to News Five today about the school’s readiness for the reopening pilot project.

Jamie Usher, Principal, Belize High School

“We are hoping to be one of the schools, not because of any other reason than we believe that our smaller population can allow for a reopening, but we believe that once we create a safe space any school should be able to reopen once we have guidelines in place. I think the same way how they opened up with the hotels check list and so forth, I believe that we can push that out to all the schools because I know from my communications with other principals a lot of schools are absolutely ready. So, when your team visited us this morning you got a taste of our health protocols and that is something that we will be right here, vaccine or no vaccine, COVID or no vaccine – I think it means that we can interact safely but we need to start interacting again.  I believe that the Ministry of Education has said that it will be a group setting so it shifts, so it won’t be everybody coming back and so that softens it a little but we still believe that if we can get those groups to come in earlier it shouldn’t be something that should be a limiting factor, it should be something that is open to everybody.”

Jamie Usher

Andrea Polanco

“As principal, how soon would you like to see students get back into the classroom?”

Jamie Usher

“Honestly, I would just like a chance for my strategic planning to come on board because the decisions I make involve a lot of different factors of our community, so once they give the go ahead, no decision would be taken until I get representatives from my students, parents, and teacher community.”