Since the announcement of a phased reopening of schools last week, seventy schools have already submitted their paperwork for primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the country. It’s an optional return to face-to-face instructions beginning on April twelfth and with schools already signing up it also means that many students will need to prepare for […]
Amid the reopening of schools in April and May, the issue of a proposed salary cut still looms. Teachers and public officers have taken a firm stand against a reduction in the existing wage bill and government has for its part rejected the counterproposal by the joint unions. Despite the growing tension, Minister of Education […]
The phased return of in-person learning by the government is being met with some resistance. The decision was made following the advice of a COVID-19 Education Task Force appointed by the Ministry of Education to come up with a plan. Earlier this week, the announcement was made that on April twelfth some schools will start […]
Cabinet Minister Dolores Balderamos Garcia threw her support behind Education Minister Francis Fonseca and his C.E.O. for the phased return to the classrooms. Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs “We have to learn English in this country yo know. They said a phased approach to reopening of the schools beginning on the […]
As we reported on Wednesday, cabinet has approved the phased return of face-to-face instruction of schools at all levels and sectors across the country. Since September of 2020, secondary and tertiary students have been attending virtual classes, while learning packages were distributed to primary schoolers. But beginning April twelfth, schools who believe that they have […]
So schools are going to have to get innovative with their learning continuity plans. C.E.O. in the Ministry of Education, Dian Maheia speaks of blended learning as a possible new normal. Dian Maheia, C.E.O., Ministry of Education “If you want to bring back all your students, you have to find a way to stagger […]
Phase two of the COVID vaccination rollout is currently underway where teachers are now allowed to get their jabs as an added protection against the deadly virus. Like some frontline healthcare workers, there are a number of teachers who are not willing to get take vaccine. During our one-on-one interview with C.E.O. Dian Maheia of […]
A quick response to a News Five story a few days ago means one Belize City organization now has some additional funds to keep helping children. Today, SMART handed over a donation and also recommitted to expand its partnership with the Y.M.C.A. News Five’s Andrea Polanco reports. Andrea Polanco, Reporting Today, the Young Men’s […]
Students at various levels of academic life will finally begin returning to their classrooms on April twelfth, but not everyone goes back at once. That’s the date that has been set by the Ministry of Education for schools to begin reopening after a year of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, Cabinet approved […]
Two Belizean volleyball athletes were scouted back in 2019 when they competed in a regional match in Mexico. Fast track to 2021, they are both now preparing to relocate to a college in the U.S. where they will not only be pursuing bachelor’s degrees in Graphic Design, but also playing their favourite sport. Francis Hauze […]
When you go out shopping, you don’t usually expect to be invited to join a training session to promote your own business. But that is exactly what happened with fifty Courts customers who just completed a multi-week training session in marketing skills for new entrepreneurs. The training is normally done with in-person, hands on classes, […]
The first of a string of activities by the Belize National Teachers Union was held simultaneously today across the country. Members of the union rallied together in motorcades to sound their discontent with a government proposed salary cut and increment freeze. The teachers are not backing down and will continue with a plan of action […]
Last week Wednesday, the teachers from the Stann Creek District were the first to organize their motorcade in protest of the proposed salary cut and increment freeze. Today, they hit the streets of Dangriga again as part of the national action plan of the Belize National Teachers Union. Also in the far south, in Punta […]
In his weekly message on Monday, PM Briceño said that tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs or taking the ultimate risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. He says he is now asking the unions to get “Belize Bounced Back Betta.” Senator Elena Smith responds: Senator Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U. “How much […]
The state of Belize’s economy is dire and the International Monetary Fund confirmed this week that the country is broke and has been in a recession since before the COVID-19 pandemic. But who’s responsible? The Briceño administration blames the former U.D.P. government, former Prime Minister Dean Barrow in particular. But Senator Elena Smith says that […]
B.N.T.U. National President, Senator Elena Smith says that in other districts, members of the Public Service Union and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers joined in the motorcades. Senator Smith says there is collaboration between the unions in the dialogue with G.O.B. since the salary cut and increment freeze is across the board for […]
Many teachers are not happy about G.O.B.’s proposed ten percent salary cut and increment freeze. They have taken to the streets to protest these proposals because they feel that they will be giving up a lot and that other measures should be explored. But just how will these proposed measures affect teachers? One teacher has […]
Are schools reopening for face-to-face learning soon? The Ministry of Education formed the COVID-19 Education Task Force to plan for that safe reopening, aiming for August/September 2021. But there has been talk of a pilot programme at the end of April or early May, after teachers have been vaccinated. But will this happen? Consultations have […]
News Five has confirmed that teachers will take to the streets across the country in their green shirts on Tuesday for simultaneous protest motorcades in each municipality. It is part the union’s response G.O.B.’s proposal for a ten percent salary cut and an increment freeze for an additional three years for teachers and public officers. […]
On Wednesday’s news, viewers saw teachers from Stann Creek join a motorcade to express displeasure at the government’s proposed salary cut and increment freeze for teachers and public officers for three years. What you may not know is at the same time on Wednesday in Belize City the council of management of the Belize National […]
On March fifteenth, the B.N.T.U. will issue a counterproposal to G.O.B., which is expected to be discussed in cabinet. But the firebrand union is monitoring the situation very closely and has developed a plan of action. The green B.N.T.U. T-shirts will be worn on days when teachers report to school. There will be a series […]
The Belize National Teachers Union is still devising a national response to a proposed salary cut by the government for teachers and public officers. But that did not stop a number of teachers in the south from converging in the Culture Capital Dangriga. News Five’s reporter Duane Moody and cameraman Kenroy Michael were there to […]
Last July, we told you how the Young Men’s Christian Association moved its classes online to serve its population. But the institution, like many other places of learning, is facing tough times. They have had their budget cut and had to make changes to keep their doors open. Doctor Clara Cuellar is hoping that the […]
No to any proposed salary cut. That was the firmly held position of the Belize National Teachers Union when the Barrow administration initially toyed with the idea of docking the wages of public officers in 2020, with the advent of the COVID pandemic. It is also the stance being taken against the Briceño administration, following […]
But what about teachers? Well, Belizean educators will be relieved to find out they are among one of the first groups included in the vaccine rollout plan. Because the Ministry of Education is expecting face-to-face learning to resume in August/September, the government is prioritizing teacher vaccinations to assist in the safe reopening of schools. But […]
