Belmopan – The University of Texas at Tyler in partnership with the Ministry of Education, today launched the start of a series of teacher training sessions in Dangriga Town. The project is part of an ongoing two-year CARSI-funded grant and will be implemented through the ministry’s Teacher Education and Development Services (TEDS). Participants include education field supervisors, principals, teacher preparation instructors, and newly qualified teachers. The sessions will focus on student-centered instruction and develop the framework for educators to become teacher trainers.
In her remarks at today’s launch, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Andie De Arment emphasized, “This initiative aims to tackle some of the biggest challenges in Belizean primary education by focusing on teacher preparation and capacity-building.”
In the first year of the program, the University of Texas at Tyler faculty will lead the sessions utilizing a train-the-trainers model to transition responsibility for teacher training to Belizean education experts. The following year, the University will take a supporting role in the training as the first cohort leads in training the rest of Belize’s supervisors and instructors.
Partner agencies include the Stann Creek Ecumenical Junior College and the University of Belize, Toledo. Present at today’s launch were Minister of State in the Ministry of Education Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Dean at the University of Texas at Tyler Dr. Wesley Hickey, Project Manager Dr. Yanira Ortiz, TEDS Director Jeannie Garbutt-Franklin, and representatives from the Ministry of Education. Similar training activities will also be carried out in the Toledo district in early August.
