Belize's Education System: A Comprehensive Overview

The Belizean school system is based on the British model, but with a strong influence from the US academic syllabus, particularly through the Jesuits. The system consists of four levels: pre-primary, primary, secondary, and tertiary. There are two years of pre-primary education, eight years of primary education, and four years of secondary education. Primary education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 14, although a minority of Belizean children do not complete it. Secondary education is divided into four forms, followed by two years of sixth form, equivalent to junior college. The country's education system is governed by the Education Act and managed by the Ministry of Education, with religious denominations also playing a significant role in operating schools.

The school system is modelled on the US and British systems

The school system in Belize is modelled on the US and British systems. This is largely due to the country's history as a British colony (British Honduras) and the influence of Jesuits from the United States. The structure of the Belizean education system is based on the British model, with three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary. However, the content of the curriculum is more influenced by the US system due to the presence of Jesuit missionaries and teachers from the American Peace Corps and other US volunteer groups.

In the public system, there are three levels of education: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary education lasts for eight years and is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 to 14 years old. It is broken down into two years of "infant education" followed by six "standards". Secondary education consists of four "forms", each lasting a year, followed by two years of sixth form, equivalent to junior college in the US. The sixth form program was modelled after a US college, which approved the curriculum and granted degrees or certificates.

Private schools in Belize, on the other hand, mostly use the grade system (1 to 12) and are often modelled on the American or Canadian systems. These schools are usually built where there are larger expat populations, such as Ambergris Caye and Belize City. International schools in Belize provide an International Baccalaureate that is accepted worldwide for entrance to post-secondary education.

The Belizean school system has gone through several phases of development, each influenced by political and economic changes in the country. During the initial phase from 1816 to 1892, the church-state partnership became institutionalized, with religious denominations competing for influence in education. The second phase, from 1893 to 1934, was characterized by intensifying denominational rivalry and increasing influence from US Jesuit missionaries. In the 1940s and 1950s, the educational and social activities of the Jesuits influenced the rise of an anti-British, anticolonial nationalist movement. By the late 1950s, the Jesuits dominated nearly every level of formal education in Belize.

With self-rule in 1964, the Belizean government began to exert more control over the education system, although actual educational practices remained largely unchanged. The demand for education outpaced the capacity of churches to provide it, leading to interdenominational cooperation and a more central role for the state. By the 1970s, the government was establishing new schools, particularly at the secondary and tertiary levels. However, this expansion strained the state's resources, leading to increased reliance on external aid, with the US providing the majority of this aid.

Primary education is free and compulsory for children aged 5-14

Belize's education system is based on the British model, as the country was a British colony for over a century. However, it has also been heavily influenced by the US academic syllabus, primarily through the Jesuits. The formal education system in Belize consists of four levels: pre-primary, primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Primary education in Belize is free and compulsory for children aged 5-14. It lasts for eight years, including two years of "infant education" and six years of "standards". While primary education is free, related expenses such as uniforms, books, and annual school fees can be a financial burden on low-income families. As a result, some children do not attend school, and others drop out before completing their primary education.

The Ministry of Education oversees all schools in Belize and directly administers a large portion of the public schools. The rest of the schools are predominantly run by the Catholic Church, but other religious denominations, such as Protestant, evangelical, Mennonite, Seventh-day Adventist, and Mormon groups, also operate schools.

The quality of primary education in Belize varies, and underpaid and untrained teachers, lack of resources, and inadequate curricula have been identified as issues in some schools. The Belizean government has made efforts to improve the education system, including recent amendments to the Education Act 2017 that aim to ensure all teachers are professionally trained.

Secondary education is divided into four forms

The Belizean school system is based on the British model, but with some influence from the US academic syllabus, particularly through the Jesuits. The system is divided into four levels: pre-primary, primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Secondary education in Belize is divided into four forms, each lasting a year. This four-year high school education is competitive, requiring students to pass a comprehensive exam. The student's ranking on the admissions test determines which school the student can attend. The fees for books and other charges at the secondary level are often unaffordable for many Belizean families.

After completing the four forms, students can continue to the two-year sixth form, equivalent to junior college in the US. The sixth form was modelled after a US college, which approved the curriculum and granted degrees or certificates.

The Ministry of Education oversees all schools in Belize and directly administers a large portion of the public schools. The rest of the schools are predominantly run by the Catholic Church, but other religious denominations, such as Protestant, Evangelical, and Anglican, also operate schools.

Sixth form is a two-year post-secondary course

The education system in Belize is rooted in the English system but has been influenced by the US academic syllabus, particularly through the Jesuits. Students move through forms from first form in primary school to sixth form (junior college). Sixth form is a two-year post-secondary course, originally intended to prepare students for the Cambridge Advanced or "A-Level" examinations. Since the early 1970s, sixth-form institutions have also offered Associate of Arts degrees sanctioned by the US Association of Junior Colleges.

The sixth form is divided into two school years: the Lower Sixth (L6) and Upper Sixth (U6). Pupils in the Lower Sixth typically select between three and five subjects from the GCSEs they have just taken, for one "AS" year, with exams taken at the end of the year. Three subjects are then carried into the A2 year, with further exams taken at the end of that year. The marks attained in both sets of exams are converted into UCAS points, which must meet the offer made by the student's chosen university.

In Belize, sixth-form colleges are usually higher-level institutions attached to existing secondary schools (high schools). These colleges may have secondary school programs but also offer tertiary, post-high school programs. Most are patterned after the “sixth form” in Britain. They offer associate or two-year college degrees.

Examples of sixth-form colleges in Belize include St. John’s Junior Coed College in Belize City, Corozal Junior College in Corozal, and Muffles College in Orange Walk Town.

The Ministry of Education oversees all schools in Belize

The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture oversees all schools in Belize. The Ministry works in partnership with churches, communities, and private organisations to provide sufficient and efficient education in the country. The system of education is governed by the Education and Training Act (ETA, 2010), the Education Rules 2003, and the Education (Amendment) Rules (EAR, 2012).

The ETA sets out the principles and philosophy by which the Ministry of Education is expected to operate. It states that the Ministry shall:

> "work in partnership, consultation and cooperation with churches, communities, voluntary and private organizations, and such other organizations and bodies which the Ministry may identify and recognize as education partners for the sufficient and efficient provision of education in Belize."

Three types of educational institutions operate in Belize: government, government-aided, and private. Government schools are owned and funded by the Government of Belize. Government-aided schools are owned by religious denominations or community groups and receive funding from the government through school services grants or direct payment of teachers' salaries. Private schools are owned and funded by individuals, denominations, or private groups, with some receiving small grants from the government.

All government and government-aided schools have Managing Authorities (Managers or Boards of Management) that oversee the operations of the school and work with school administrators to develop and enforce policies. Education is compulsory for children aged 5–14, and government and government-aided primary and secondary schools are tuition-free. However, they are allowed to charge special fees with the approval of the Chief Education Officer.

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