belize, 1980 - Prolades.com

6.2 BASIC EDUCATION
The lack of public education in Belize during the early 1880s stimulated the early
missionaries to set up schools for the inhabitants of the Colony. Although the first "free school" was
established by the Public Meeting in 1807, the Anglican Church established its own school in 1814
as a ministry of St. John’s Cathedral; the Baptists and Methodists started their own educational
programs soon after their arrival during the 1820s. Although most of the early schools were located
in Belize City, the Wesleyan Methodists were particularly successful in starting schools on their
mission stations in rural areas, notably in the Stann Creek area among Black Carib. In was not until
after the emancipation of the slaves that the government of the Colony began to assume greater
responsibility for public education. In 1850, legislation was passed to provide for more schools and
to make new regulations for education, including the formation of a Board of Education. But,
primary and secondary education in Belize has been provided for historically along denominational
lines, aided by government grants.
The present educational system is administered by the Ministry of Education through school
managers who may be religious or secular authorities. Managers are responsible for the appointment
and supervision of teachers under their direction, including transfers, suspensions or
dismissals, and for all other matters relating to the establishment, organization and maintenance of
their respective schools. Education at the primary level is free and compulsory for children between
the ages of six and 14 years. In 1976, there were 166 denominational and 11 government primary
schools with 32,200 pupils enrolled. At the secondary level, there were 18 denominational and four
government schools with a total enrollment of 5,210 pupils. The state paid the full salaries of
primary school teachers and met up to 50% of the cost of buildings, maintenance, furniture,
textbooks and equipment of denominational schools, whereas each approved denominational
secondary school received an annual basic grant in addition to other subsidies, depending on the
size of the institution.
In 1978, there were 112 primary and eight secondary schools operated by Protestant
denominations in Belize, with the Anglicans, Methodists, Mennonites and Adventists reporting the
largest number of schools. The other denominational schools were operated by the Roman Catholic
Church, particularly the Jesuits, who regarded education as a basic means of propagating the
Gospel and of communicating Catholic social doctrine. As a consequence, most Catholics send
their children to Catholic schools. The most prominent example of Jesuit influence was the role that
the Jesuit-run secondary school, Saint John's College, played in preparing the leaders of the
nationalist movement in the 1940s.
The denominational character of the educational system, however, has led to some
fragmentation of vital resources and to a duplication of efforts among religious groups. During the
early history of Belize, all education was in the hands of the churches. Of course, the churches were
by no means reluctant to assume major responsibility for public education, since they regarded this
as an essential part of their religious duties. However, in rural areas, Protestant and Catholic
schools were often established side by side in small villages where only one school was needed.
More recently, the government has exercised greater control over denominational schools and has
made greater efforts to improve educational standards.
Denominational control of the schools also led to a more serious problem. Whereas the
educational system ought to be a force for unity in the society, the denominational nature and control
of schools has actually accentuated the social and cultural differences between groups. Many of the
denominational schools have been staffed traditionally by foreigners, mainly American Jesuits in
Catholic schools, and British or West Indians in the Protestant schools. Catholic schools have used
American textbooks and have been more ready to embrace Latin American attitudes and to
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