Principals of the GEMS High Schools Say the New Teaching Method Is Good

Dawn Watters

So how do the principals of these high schools feel about the new teaching methods? Dawn Watters of Excelsior and Deborah Domingo from Maud Williams High Schools say it has been well-received. And President of the Belize National Teachers’ Union, Senator Elena Smith who was also present, feels the new program offers more than the teaching methods used before.

Dawn Watters, Principal, Excelsior High School

“For my particular school, um, the competency based curriculum has really helped us a lot. But for us, it has increased in enrollment. Um, because we had a role, a low enrollment, last year we had about 70 students last year. This year we had 126. The project also includes uniform feeding program, and so that has assisted our students to remain focused when they’re at school. And it has also assisted us with append because they’re reporting more regularly to school. So it has really helped us at our school. You know, tremendously.”

Deborah Domingo

Deborah Domingo, Principal, Maud Williams High School

“One of the, the issues was the issue of, of attendance, and we have, um, made a proposal as to where we want to go as an institution to understand, but we also highlighted the issue of reading and how that is going to impact the part that we take as a school to ensure that everybody gets to acquire the competencies across the, the curriculum. Um, it will be that for some people it may take a little longer as we work with them to acquire the reading skills that they need in order to benefit from what is a very good, um, approach.”

Elena Smith

Senator Elena Smith, President, B.N.T.U

“For the most part, we’ve heard positive feedback in terms of teachers and schools embracing the new change. Uh, with change comes some resistance and we understand that, but also it, it means that there has to be more support given to our schools, to our teachers and our students because we know that this is going to be a cost venture and teachers have been taking out of pocket for, for, for a very long time. And this is going to be worse in terms of what will be expected. So it has to be that the ministry then will do its part to ensure that resources are provided as much as is possible. That teachers don’t have to be spending more out of pocket and then putting their families at a disadvantage.”