The Ministry of Education through the Adult and Continuing Education Unit has developed a program called Technology Program. The objective of the Technology Program is to create a technical skills option for adult learners who are in the High School Evening Division Program in Belize. See the Belize Education Sector Strategy (BESS) 6.1.8.
Adult learners in their second and/or third year in the evening division program can apply to take a skill from various skills options offered in one of the ITVET institutions. The ITVET institutions offer these skill options base on the demands of industry. The idea is that the two institutions collaborated to offer the skills training options to the adult learners.
The ACE Unit supported and coordinated the collaboration and partnership between both institutions to ensure the options are available to the adult learner. The National ACE Coordinator provided support to the program through monitoring and evaluation. Since this program was developed, St. Ignatius High School Evening Division (SIHSED) and Cayo Center for Employment Training (CCET) have signed three memorandums of understanding (MOU) for three cycles of training. Thus far the program has been a success for all stakeholders.
In the up-coming school year, The National ACE Coordinator will meet with administrators of ITVET Belize City and the Gwen Lizaraga High School Evening Division (GLHSD) to discuss possible implementation of the Technology Program. The intention of the Employment Training and Education Services (ETES) is to have this program implemented in all evening divisions in the country.
Photo: SIHSED students in CCET IT Repair Lab. By Technology Program.
