The District Project in Belize
Posted by Jeff Ambrose
The following is an update from District Governor Ed Willson, on the District Project in Belize.....
The project is moving ahead!
A Team of ten visited Belize in mid December to assess their needs and how we could most effectively address these needs. In our assessment we met with The Prime Minister, Minister of Education and senior staff, the teachers union executive, the executive of the secondary Principle's association and Dr. Petters of the Petters Institute. We also visited a number of schools to see, first hand, their needs. A statistic that stands out is of the 62,000 primary school students, about 50% are taught by teachers that do not have any formal training.
In these meetings it was agreed their greatest needs are: teacher training, computers and a system to provide distance learning within the country over a 3-5 year period.
Our first year initiative will include sending approximately 32 Alberta Teachers to provide teacher training, to 360 Belizean teachers, in English Language arts, Science and Mathmatics. Each teacher will be required to train 5 others. We have also committed to sending 400 computers loaded with teacher resouce materials, one for each teacher and the balance for the Petters Institute. This strategy will provide all primary teachers with upgraded skills within 3 years and a higher level of education to students. We will also fund a study to provide information on how we can most effectively use current resources to establish a Distance Learning system within Belize. Our estimated costs are just over $100,000 including matching grants from DDF, TRF, Wildrose and CRCID.
With David and Ross's commitment to a second and third year we estimate the project will increase the literacy of 100,000 children in grades 1-8 and will significantly impact their economy over the next few years.
Currently the Alberta Department of Education and the The ATA, have agreed to be partners in the project through the contribution of resources.
This is brief. Each of your area WCSS representatives have a PowerPoint presentation that more fully explains the scope and depth of our project. Please contact them to view.
A project that Leads the Way in our world.
I ask for your support. Contributions can be sent to: Rotary International District 5370 - Belize Project.
Sincerely, Ed Willson DG
A Team of ten visited Belize in mid December to assess their needs and how we could most effectively address these needs. In our assessment we met with The Prime Minister, Minister of Education and senior staff, the teachers union executive, the executive of the secondary Principle's association and Dr. Petters of the Petters Institute. We also visited a number of schools to see, first hand, their needs. A statistic that stands out is of the 62,000 primary school students, about 50% are taught by teachers that do not have any formal training.
In these meetings it was agreed their greatest needs are: teacher training, computers and a system to provide distance learning within the country over a 3-5 year period.
Our first year initiative will include sending approximately 32 Alberta Teachers to provide teacher training, to 360 Belizean teachers, in English Language arts, Science and Mathmatics. Each teacher will be required to train 5 others. We have also committed to sending 400 computers loaded with teacher resouce materials, one for each teacher and the balance for the Petters Institute. This strategy will provide all primary teachers with upgraded skills within 3 years and a higher level of education to students. We will also fund a study to provide information on how we can most effectively use current resources to establish a Distance Learning system within Belize. Our estimated costs are just over $100,000 including matching grants from DDF, TRF, Wildrose and CRCID.
With David and Ross's commitment to a second and third year we estimate the project will increase the literacy of 100,000 children in grades 1-8 and will significantly impact their economy over the next few years.
Currently the Alberta Department of Education and the The ATA, have agreed to be partners in the project through the contribution of resources.
This is brief. Each of your area WCSS representatives have a PowerPoint presentation that more fully explains the scope and depth of our project. Please contact them to view.
A project that Leads the Way in our world.
I ask for your support. Contributions can be sent to: Rotary International District 5370 - Belize Project.
Sincerely, Ed Willson DG