Education Reform: Can Better Leaders Fix Belize’s Schools?
Better schools often begin with stronger leadership. Now, a new pilot program in southern Belize aims to give school leaders the tools to guide education reform and help students succeed. BUILD is partnering with the Ministry of Education on a sixteen-week certification course focused on competency-based education. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Education reform does not begin in the classroom alone. It starts with the people leading Belize’s schools. A new pilot program is now giving principals and administrators in southern Belize the tools to implement competency-based education and prepare students for a changing world. Founded by Dr. Louis Zabaneh in 2014, BUILD has officially launched the program in Dangriga.
Louis Zabaneh
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Area Representative, Dangriga
“Since 2014, we have undertaken a number of trainings, some that we started in Belmopan at the George Price Center for Peace and Development, a number that were done in Dangriga, and these trainings have been done at different levels from basic training to prepare people for job interviews to emotional intelligence working with different groups on specialized skills. For example, with our friends from the Taiwanese Embassy and ICDF on cell phone repairs to higher level training with educators On what is sustainable human development, for example. And now we’re preparing a master’s level, a pilot course on competency-based education.”
BUILD believes stronger school leaders can help close the gaps in Belize’s education system. Through its partnership with the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders, the organization is equipping educators with the skills to lead competency-based learning and improve student outcomes. Facilitator Dr. Consuela Godfrey explains why that training matters.
Consuelo Godfrey
Dr. Consuelo Godfrey, Facilitator, School leadership program
“One of the things we want to accomplish with the course is to be able to work with school leaders in the south, Stann Creek and Toledo, both primary and secondary school leaders, and be able to work with them over sixteen weeks. So there’s an aspect of coaching, mentoring, capacity showcase, building skills in implementing and working with teachers at their institutions, in competency development. So we want to be able to ensure our leaders’ capacity is being built so that not only they can implement and observe what’s happening in their institution as it relates to competency-based education, but that they’re able to give the type of feedback that would help the teachers move the needle forward.”
The program puts students at the center by strengthening school leadership and then expanding to teacher training. Unlike traditional courses, it includes sixteen weeks of hands-on mentoring and coaching, helping school leaders develop and implement education projects in their schools. Dangriga Mayor Robert Mariano believes the initiative could bring meaningful change to the community.
Robert Mariano
Robert Mariano, Mayor of Dangriga
“Our people, the people that you represent, the people that I represent and the people that all of us represent will be benefitting from this institution. And I’m so proud to know that it starts out of Dangriga.”
BUILD is working with the Ministry of Education and other partners to prepare school leaders for competency-based education. Dr. Zabaneh says that while the training is not free, several partners helped him offset the expense.
Dr. Louis Zabaneh
“I’ve gotten assistance from other stakeholders that we’re really grateful for, and it is that model that we want to use going forward, where people who believe that we are able to partner together for similar objectives will be able to do so and have an impact on the individual Belizean citizen for them to be able to achieve their dreams and aspirations.”
BUILD is inviting school leaders from Stann Creek and Toledo to take part in the program. The first group of fifty participants, evenly divided between both districts, will spend the semester developing practical projects to address the needs of their schools. Organizers will then track the results next semester to measure their impact and support lasting improvement. Britney Gordon for News Five.
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