Belize Bets on Technical Education to Power the Workforce

Government is putting technical and vocational education at the center of its workforce development agenda. Under the Belize Compact, eighty million of the one hundred and twenty-five million U.S. dollars will be invested in education, and a key focus is the modernization of ITVET institutions. Today, Education Minister Francis Fonseca introduced a first-of-its-kind ITVET Bill that would establish an autonomous, industry-led National Training Authority. The idea is to make training more responsive to the job market and ensure that students leave TVET programs with skills that match real opportunities. Fonseca shared more details in the House.

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“This is really the first TVET law that we have had. And so the bill creates a standard-alone, modern framework for technical and vocational education and training. And so, it is companion legislation to the next bill I will be introducing, the education bill 2026. The bill sets up an autonomous industry led, national training authority. So, it will set up a thirteen-member board, which brings together government, private sector, service providers, the national accreditation council, NTUCB, organized labor and of course the ministry of education. So, industry, very critical point, will help to steer and train the industry workforce. We will also ensure that under this bill the training follows demand, not supply. So we have set up a sector skills council for the main economic sectors, to identify the skills needed and develop industry agreed occupational standards which will be reviewed every five years.”

 

The legislation would give formal recognition to vocational skills gained through experience.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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