Belize

by Paul Bacsich for Re.ViCa. Minor update by James Kay of Sero for VISCED

For entities in Belize see Category:Belize

Belize in a nutshell

Source : http://www.cia.gov

Belize, formerly British Honduras, is a country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, composed of many cultures and speaking many languages. Although Kriol and Spanish are also widely spoken among the populace, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the south and west, and the Caribbean sea to the east. With 8,867 square miles (22,960 km²) of territory and 320,000 people (2008 est.), the population density is the lowest in the Central American region and one of the lowest in the world. However, the country's population growth rate, 2.21% (2008 est.),[2] is the highest in the region and one of the highest in the western hemisphere.

Belize is culturally unique among Central American nations. It is the only nation in Central America with a British colonial heritage, and is the only constituent nation of the Commonwealth of Nations in its region. Culturally, Belize considers itself to be both Caribbean and Central American by sensibility. Much like the Anglophone nations of the Caribbean, its history has been touched by the slave trade and sugar production; however, it also maintains a vibrant indigenous Mayan and Garifuna culture.

(Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize)

Belize education policy

Ministry of Education
http://www.moe.gov.bz/site/ (English, under construction)

Our mission is to create an education system that promotes equality, ensures access and demands quality. This is in keeping with our Government's national vision for a Belize that is socially just, peaceful, prosperous and globally competitive.

http://www.governmentofbelize.gov.bz/ministry_details.php?ministry_id=15 (English) It is showing similar information than the one in the Ministry of Education website.

See also the Wikipedia entry Education:Belize

Higher education

Universities in Belize

http://www.governmentofbelize.gov.bz/ab_social_serv.html (English, the closest that I found to an Official List)

Advanced training is provided to Belizeans in the professional and technical fields at Belize's first university, the University College of Belize, which opened in 1986. The University of the West Indies maintains a School of Continuing Education (SCE) in Belize City. http://www.uwi.edu/territories/belize.aspx

There is a well-equipped library service. It has its headquarters in the Baron Bliss Institute in Belize City and 74 service points scattered throughout the country. Remote areas are serviced by a mobile library. The Bliss Institute is maintained and operated by the Government in order to encourage cultural activities.

PUBLIC UNIVERSITY
http://www.ub.edu.bz/ (English) University of Belize

PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES
http://galen.edu.bz/moodle/ (English) Galen University

American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine

Central America Health Sciences University

ICT in education initiatives

Virtual initiatives in schools

The Canadian Rotary Collaboration for International Development funded and helped organise a Belize Literacy Program, the second phase of which aimed towards a model of 'distributed learning' involving the use of distance learning, driven in part by ICT, to help reduce the number of school drop-outs by opening up multiple avenues of learning. Project page with link to powerpoint presentation with further information: http://crcid.org/BelizeLiteracy.html

Virtual initiatives in post-secondary education

Virtual Campus

http://galen.edu.bz/moodle/ (English)
Galen University’s Virtual Campus

In an effort to enhance already existing web technology at Galen University, the Virtual Campus was created. This approach does not replace traditional face-to-face classes but supplements them. This tool will be useful to both online and traditional courses offered at Galen University.

Distance Learning

Info Book(Spanish)
Virtual and distance higher education in the Anglophone Caribbean

Only three countries, British Virgin Islands and St. Kitts and Nevis, have more than 10% of its population connected, while Belize and Guyana are the lowest percentages.

e-Learning

Online site of the University of Belize(English)

In another effort to accomplish its institutional vision, the University of Belize presents this website to the community. This marks the starting point in the path of E-Learning. At the beginning, this initiative entails the offering of a few courses in the on-line format. Eventually, other courses will be offered in this modality.

http://www.col.org (English) University of the West Indies

Through its virtual campus, the University of the West Indies, has introduced programmes of study leading to award of degrees at both the Bachelors and Masters level which fully utilise distance mode of delivery. Students are able to enroll in these programmes through the University’s School of Continuing Education in Belize City. These programmes engage the use of online classes, some face to face sessions and printed materials. Currently local enrollment is small, however the programmes offering teacher education degrees receive much more interest and maintain higher enrollment than other courses.

References

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For OER policies and projects in Belize see Belize/OER

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