M.o.E. Ensuring that Belizean & Guatemalan Students Get Education

Dian Maheia

Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Dian Maheia, was asked today about Guatemalan children who study in Belize. For the better part of two years, these students have been learning remotely and even though classes resumed to hybrid learning this semester, the process of getting them back into the classroom setting is not as simple. Some two hundred and twenty-four primary school students from Guatemala are enrolled at the Mount Carmel R.C. School in Benque, and there are others in neighbouring high schools as well.  C.E.O. Maheia explains the associated health concerns, and how the ministry is ensuring that these students are not disenfranchised.

Dian Maheia, C.E.O., Ministry of Education

“The position of the ministry right now is that we are very much aware of the plight of these students. We certainly appreciate the need for our students and all students to be able to return to the classroom. We also are mindful of the fact that we don’t have vaccination data on all of these students. We know that Guatemala does not have a mask mandate, while we have a mask mandate and we feel that we have been really deliberate, really cautious in our attempts to return our children to the classroom. So we are continuing to employ the caution. Our ministry is in contact with the Guatemalan Embassy; the principals are in contact with the parents. These students continue to receive online education and we are going to, bit by bit with being mindful of vaccine needs and protocols and mask wearing, for example, bit by bit we will begin to transition them back into the classroom, carefully. So that it is not open the gates and have everyone flood in. We need to continue to be cautious, be mindful of everyone’s safety and everyone’s needs. We have an agreement with the Guatemalan government that we do provide education services to their students. So our concern has been to make sure that we are living up to that arrangement so our position right now is not to negotiate testing. Our position is to make sure that we are continuing to provide the education services and as we continue to negotiate the safe return of students to the classrooms that we do so for all students – the Belizean students as well as the Guatemalan students from across the border.”