Ministry of Education Launch National Accreditation Council

Today, the Ministry of Education took a milestone step that has been almost two decades in the making. The ministry officially launched its National Accreditation Council. According to the legislation that accompanies the establishment of the council, its primary function is to improve and maintain the quality of education being offered in Belize. The National Accreditation Council Act lists a total of eighteen functions towards improving education in Belize. News Five’s Paul Lopez tells us more.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Ministry of Education today officially launched the National Accreditation Council of Belize. According to Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry, Dian Maheia, the establishment of such a council has been in the pipeline for the past eighteen years. She explained that its role is to ensure that the quality of education delivered in our country meets the highest standards.

 

Dian Maheia, Chief Executive Officer, MOECST

“We have to have the answers when people ask us, what are you doing, where do you want to go, how is it going, where are you going next? Those answers have to come from us. We can’t get those answers if we don’t engage meaningfully in the work we do, the work of education, the thinking work, the planning work, the vision work, as much as the day to day work. Every person in this room, I think, has lived that, where you have to divide your responsibilities. You have to spend some time doing the day-to-day work, managing, checking papers, making plans, signing off on things, that is important. You don’t accomplish anything if you don’t do that. But you also have to spend some time doing the thinking, the planning, to understand ok, what did we actually accomplish.”

 

The National Accreditation Council is tasked with promoting the advancement of education in Belize. It is also charged with maintaining and improving quality standards in education to protect the interests of students. Furthermore, the council will facilitate the free movement of skilled professionals across the CARICOM region via the CSME. Legislation to realize the council was enacted almost two decades ago. It was amended earlier this year.

 

 

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“That Act defines accreditation as follows. Accreditation is a status granted to educational institutions or program by a competent authority ion the basis of an informed evaluation, indicating that the program and courses offered by an institution and its awards meet or exceeds stated criteria of educational quality. The functions of the council shall be to promote the advancement of education in Belize, to ensure the quality of education delivered in Belize meets the standards set by the council for the qualifications and certificates conferred and that the appropriate standards are being maintained and improved to protect the interest of students and to promote the free movement of skills across the region. I wanted to share with you some of the key responsibilities of the council. Registering the institutions, both local and foreign which offers courses in Belize, maintain a register of approved institutions, providers and courses, accrediting and recrediting programs and institutions. Validating new courses and programs of institutions operating in Belize.”

 

The National Accreditation Council will be an eleven-member board of directors. The board will comprise of three representatives from tertiary institutions, two from professional associations involved in educations, one from the Belize Chamber of Commerce, another from the Belize Tourism Board and one representative from the Ministry of Education. Additionally, the minister will nominate two members. An executive director will also be appointed to lead the day-to-day operations.

 

 

 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of State, Ministry of Education

“Now we must go beyond having all our children in school. We must ensure that while they are in school that they receive a quality education. Otherwise, if we are not providing the quality they need they may end up going out there and perpetuating a situation where we are not getting the quality of students we need, which has been our experience. This is an important step towards sustainable human development for our country. We might not see these things when we might say we have an investment summit, and we are bringing in millions dollars. This time we are talking about strengthening our institutions. For example, when we strengthen our judiciary or strengthen our systems in the police force. This is now strengthening our systems in the education sector.”

 

Dian Maheia

“This morning one of you said, but now the work really starts. That is true. And that is great that we recognize that, because if we think that the work is done. Then we are in trouble. We didn’t have people who started this eighteen years ago and we are just going to bring everybody together, and clap when the ministers talk and get those lovely mugs and go home and think we are done. We are not done; we are just beginning.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.