Free Secondary Education Moves Closer to Reality

Prime Minister John Briceño says government is getting ready to deliver one of the biggest education boosts in Belize’s history. The Education Upliftment Project, which began in 2022 with fewer than a thousand students, has exploded in size and is now on track to cover 60 percent of all secondary students. And it’s still growing. By the 2026–2027 fiscal year, the program is expected to reach more than fourteen thousand students, pushing Belize toward its long‑term goal: free secondary education for every child in government high schools.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“The Education Upliftment Project or the EUP: Together We Rise, eliminates financial barriers for families across Belize. The targeted allocation of funds for secondary school students in all districts demonstrates this administration’s strong commitment to expanding access to quality education. At its launch in the 2022/2023 academic year, the program supported nine hundred and forty-seven students across four secondary schools. In the 2026/2027 fiscal period, the Education Upliftment Project will expand to twenty-seven secondary schools, reaching over fourteen thousand students. These numbers indicate an increase of more than 13,000 beneficiaries, representing growth of over one thousand percent in less than four years. In 2026/2027, one hundred percent of students enrolled in government secondary schools nationwide will attend school for free.”

 

If the expansion continues as planned, what started as a small pilot could soon change how families access and afford secondary school nationwide.

 

Cayo District Next in Line as NHI Goes National

 

Prime Minister John Briceño says Belize is about to make a major jump in public health care. In the 2026–2027 fiscal year, government will pump fifty-seven-million dollars into expanding National Health Insurance and strengthening services nationwide. NHI will finally cover the entire Cayo District, one of the country’s fastest‑growing areas. That expansion will push NHI enrollment past three hundred and twenty-five thousand Belizeans, bringing the country closer to universal primary care. Government also plans to upgrade polyclinics and hire more medical staff so facilities can keep pace with rising demand. Briceño says more doctors, more nurses, and better‑equipped clinics are essential to delivering the level of care Belizeans deserve.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“For fiscal year 2026-2027 is for expansion and investment of NHI. We are moving from stabilization to strategic expansion. This budget allocates fifty-seven  million dollars to deepen the NHI’s impact. Our focus will be two-fold. First, we are expanding NHI coverage to include the entire Cayo District, finally offering services to the whole country. Once the eighty thousand eligible residents of the Cayo are registered, we will have three hundred and twenty-five thousand registered and active users of the NHI services countrywide. Secondly, we are allocating significant resources to also strengthen the supply side, because a promise of care is empty without the infrastructure to deliver it. We are partnering with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to upgrade polyclinics in key districts and, crucially, to address the human resource gap. I call on every Belizean to join us in advancing the next chapter of NHI, because building a healthier nation is a responsibility we share and a legacy we must create together.”

 

In short, the upcoming fiscal year is shaping up to be a defining one for NHI, not just expanding who it reaches, but improving what it offers.

 

Highway Upgrades Lead Massive Public Works Plan

 

From national healthcare coverage to a major infrastructure push, Prime Minister John Briceño announced more than eighty million dollars in upgrades to make roads safer and bridges stronger. The George Price Highway will get a twenty-one-million-dollar overhaul, while the Philip Goldson Highway is set for eight million dollars in improvements. In Belize City, both the Swing Bridge and the BelCan Bridge will be replaced, each costing just over three million dollars. Government is also putting money into sports. An initial one-point-six million dollars will go toward upgrading key facilities.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“For infrastructure development, twenty-one point nine million for the upgrading of the George Price Highway from Belize City to Belmopan. Eight million for the upgrading of the Philip Goldson Highway from Mile 8 to Mile 24.  Four million for Specialized Equipment. I hope minister from Stann Creek West you will be able to get your grader. Four point six million for the Santa Familia Bridge. Three point eight million for the replacement of the Belize City Swing Bridge. You have to give us a little clap. It goes into Albert too. Three point five million for the replacement of the BELCAN Bridge. And, a combined total of some forty-six million for the continued maintenance of roads, streets, and drains countrywide. For sports facilities one point six million for the maintenance of sports facilities, but it is more than that right member for Pickstock. That is all we are mentioning here.”

 

All told, next year is shaping up to be busy for public works, with long‑promised upgrades finally moving forward.

 

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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