A New Preschool Building for Crooked Tree Village
Early childhood development is one of the pillars of the Ministry of Education and today, in collaboration with the Belize Social Investment Fund and the Caribbean Development Bank, the Crooked Tree Government School now boasts a preschool building, ahead of the upcoming school year in August. News Five’s Duane Moody attended today’s event and files this story.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The new facility, which sits on the Crooked Tree Government School compound, provides a safe space for learning for three and four-year-olds from Crooked Tree Village and neighboring communities. It’s equipped with all amenities, including partitioned desks and chairs, as well as bathrooms for the teaching staff and students.
Uriela Wade
Uriela Wade, Head Teacher, Crooked Tree Government Preschool
“At this moment we have nineteen students enrolled. I am just appealing to the parents out there to please send your child to school, your three-year-olds. Preschool consists of a two-year cohort and early childhood development is very important. So next week Monday, we will be starting to do registration for the new intake.”
Duane Moody
“How many students would be able to be accommodated in this classroom?”
Uriela Wade
“Twenty-four. We will be able to accommodate twenty-four at once. We have two sessions so we will be able to accommodate twenty-four four-year-olds in the morning and twenty-four three-year-olds in the afternoon sessions.”
While Crooked Tree may not have that many infants in the community, Village Chairman Brandon Gillett says it is an exciting moment.
Brandon Gillett
Brandon Gillett, Chairman, Crooked Tree Village
“This is a milestone for our village. You know education starts from the kids and with this new modern building, you know it is a modern age we are living in. technology and moving forward. And we are looking forward for more stuff and help like this from the Government of Belize and SIF also.”
Through financing from the Caribbean Development Bank, the price tag was approximately half a million dollars. Executive Director of the Belize Social Investment Fund, Carlos Tun breaks down how that money was spent.
Carlos Tun
Carlos Tun, Executive Director, SIF
“The construction of a preschool with the cost of about half a million Belize dollars. We also rehabilitated the primary school, changing the roofs and ensuring that they have a storage room as well.”
Duane Moody
“This is not the only thing that you guys have been doing here in the village.”
Carlos Tun
“No. Some months ago we also inaugurated the Maria Crawford Health Center and we also donated laptops on the basic needs trust fund programme.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
