While criminal activity, particularly in Belize city appears to be spiraling out of control, the government is not standing idly by as this happens. Through various ministries including the ministry of education, numerous programs are being put in place to directly address the issue of young people who are out of school and have no alternative education.
One such program will be run from the old Venus bus terminal on Magazine Road. Minister of Education, Hon. Patrick Faber, explained to the Guardian that the facility will be opened on May 4th. During his press conference held on Monday April 4th Prime Minister, Dean Barrow said he would be committing an additional ½ million dollars for the program’s operation.
According to Hon. Faber, a formal name is being worked on for the facility. While that is being done however, the Ministry of Education has already worked out the program that will be run from the institution. Minister Faber said that the Magazine road center is one of multiple centers which will be instituted to provide alternative education opportunities to young people who have dropped out from upper primary schools as well as lower secondary schools. The idea is for the young persons to complete their education in non-traditional areas. Hon. Faber says the programs offered will be more attractive than existing curricula in schools where the young people have not been successful. Specific target ages include persons between the ages of 12 and 17 years of age. The program is intended to work hand in hand with the already existing apprenticeship program that has taken young people and placed them in the world of work in the private sector and government departments. The Magazine road program will serve to do additional training for those enrolled in the apprenticeship program. Additionally those going through the programs at Magazine road will also offer opportunities for young people who would wish to enroll at the ITVET program but who do not meet the qualifications to do so. The minister of education says that those targeted are the very same persons who are being targeted by gangs.
Already young persons have been identified in established safe zones to be enrolled in the programs at Magazine Road.
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