$1.3 Million to be Invested in Stann Creek ITVET
As we reported earlier in the newscast, the prime minister is on a tour of southern Belize and among the many stops was a visit to the Stann Creek Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training located in Hope Creek Village. The school is located in a flood prone area and is affected even when it rains for a few hours. But the school has been resilient and has since increased its student population by over two hundred percent. Today, PM Briceño announced that the school will be benefiting from one-point-three-million-dollar investment through the Belize Social Investment Fund. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
From sixty plus to two hundred– that’s the change in student population that the Stann Creek Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training has realised in two years. Manager Gwendolyn Garcia says that it’s been a labour of love, but the institution has improved on the programs that it offers.
Gwendolyn Garcia
Gwendolyn Garcia, Manager, Stann Creek ITVET
“We have our fulltime programs. We have electrical – level one, level two. We have commercial food preparation; we have what we call a tourism course where you do commercial food prep, bartending, housekeeping, front desk/reception, customer service – so we have all that at a level one. And when you are finished with that, you do level twos. We also offer short courses like adult care-giving. We offer nail tech. So if you wanna be a nail tech and make a lotta money doing things like this, we offer that course as well. We offer AC and refrigeration technician course level two. We do automotive. So we do a whole lot here.”
Today, Prime Minister John Briceño visited the institution and he did not arrive empty-handed, but came bearing gifts. The Belize Social Investment Fund will be investing one point three million dollars in improving and building the capacity of the ITVET in Hope Creek.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Starting next year, through the SIF program, we are going to be investing one point three million dollars in equipment and the upgrading of the facilities. When I look around and see all the young people here it excites me, it energizes me and it makes me feel that the future of this country is going to be in good hands. And so I am very optimistic and very hopeful.”
Louis Zabaneh
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of State, Education
“With some basic drainage, this place has huge potential. That was the intention of the original investment and now we are finally beginning to use this facility and bring in the right people to empower our young people.”
Doctor Louis Zabaneh, the Minister of State for Education, says that he is impressed so far with the improvements at the school, which was practically abandoned by the previous administration.
Dr. Louis Zabaneh
“The place had practically been abandoned. When we were given the mandate, we came – grateful to Minister Fonseca, to Minister Mai, at ANRI, all our colleagues who have come together to be able to make this investment. So yes, exciting things are going on. Our next two years, we are going to be focusing on single mothers and on young men who are unemployed and ITVET will play a big role in empowering them. So you’ll be able to see a lot of things happening here at ITVET.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
