Many Belizeans have looked in awe at the beauty of the new ITVET building located on the campus of the former Belize Technical College. Well the construction is almost complete and David Leacock, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Education, has good news for technical and vocational students.
He said, “The intention is for the new ITVET to be ready for the upcoming school year.” He spoke about the transitional process of technical and vocational education in Belize. “CET will move over to the ITVET infrastructure on Freetown Road… During this transition, we want to change the perception of technical and vocational education in Belize.” In Belize we have a culture of prioritizing academic accomplishments and diminishing technical and vocational talents. That is very evident in our attitude towards technical and vocational education in which our perception has long been that such forms of education are for those who have dropped out of high school. Leacock echoed what sociologists have been saying for years by stating that everyone has different areas of intelligence. “ITVET and any other technical and vocational schools are not for dropouts,” he said, “it is an option for those who are more skilled in those areas.”
It is expected that there will be an increase in enrollment at ITVET. Leacock also said that plans include the implementation of technical and vocational studies into the curriculum of more high schools across the country. He said, “It is not right that students have to wait until they finish or drop out of high school for them to begin technical and vocational programs.” He said that when the courses are added to the curriculum, students in high schools can attend ITVET as part of the schedule of the high school they attend.Â
Since CET will be moving to the new ITVET building on Freetown Road, the Ministry of Education will be making use of the CET building on St. Thomas Street. The building will be used as an office building to house the Ministry’s many departments. Presently, many of the departments are at rented offices. The new arrangement will allow the departments to be in one location, thereby improving communication and efficiency in the Ministry of Education.
The Construction and Rehabilitation of the ITVET began on October of 2007. It is expected to be complete by the end of this September. The project was funded by the Government of Belize with the assistance of a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank.
