CitCo Introduces Student Hub for Less Fortunate Schoolchildren
Less fortunate school children across the Old Capital will be able to receive additional tutoring and access to the digital world through a Youth Connect Student Hub that the Belize City Council opened today at its ground floor at City Hall. Mayor Bernard Wagner admits that this is one of his council’s manifesto pledges that they are delivering on. News Five’s Marion Ali was there and filed this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Today a new students’ hub was established in Belize for students who need help with their homework, or additional tutoring in a particular subject area. The Belize City Council’s students’ hub also caters to schoolchildren who need access to computers and the internet.
Michael Fritz
Michael Fritz, Coordinator, Youth Student Hub
“The Youth Connect Student Hub is the Council’s way of becoming fully child-friendly in the sense that as a Council, the majority of the actions that we have been doing are aligning ourselves and making sure that Belize City is more child friendly, we’re a respondent to the issues of the community, one of those being access to education.”
According to the hub’s coordinator, Michael Fritz, children attending primary and high school can go there to get assistance with their homework or receive tutoring on whatever subject they might be having challenges with. But who will provide the mentoring for these children?
Michael Fritz
“The strategic design for the student hub is to ensure that there is someone that’s competent in primary education and has some in-depth knowledge in secondary education, in addition to volunteering in some junior colleges in Belize City and the University of Belize, to come in and to help tutor and mentor the kids. So the center is open – it’s an afterschool center, so we’re looking at times or hours, one to seven p.m., during the week, and also availability on Saturday.”
Marion Ali
“And subject areas?”
Michael Fritz
“In basic math, English, and also other subject areas that the children might need assistance in. So based on what is coming in, in terms of where the focus areas need to be, that’s where our job is to get people competent in those focus areas to ensure that the children do get the training or the sensitization that they need.”
But how can the Council afford to sustain this project? Mayor Bernard Wagner explained.
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
“Monthly it’s a salary because we don’t pay rent, obviously. It will have utilities, again, so, I have not factored in, in terms of the monthly, but I know that we do not parent for this building. It’ll only be the cost for the person who administrate the office.”
Michael Fritz says that at any given time, between twenty and thirty children can be accommodated at the hub, where there will be volunteers to assist the children with homework. School supplies will also be provided to the children who visit the centre. Parents who would like their children to enroll can contact the Belize City Council via its Facebook page or by visiting City Hall at the Market Square to sign up. Marion Ali for News Five.
