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Today, the House of Culture in Orange Walk unveiled USpace on the upper floor of the Banquitas House of Culture. This new facility offers students a chance to explore their potential and allows everyone to connect the past with the present through innovation, history, and culture in a digital-friendly setting. It’s all part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology’s Access 501 initiative. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene and filed this report.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

Today the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology introduced USpace, a platform that combines technology with history, culture and innovation. The project represents a collaborative effort between the Ministry’s Science and Technology Unit and the National Institute of Culture and History, NICH, in partnership with UNICEF Belize. Its goal is to empower communities by promoting digital skills. The initiative received support from UNICEF, whose Education Officer Natasha Manto says the children who use the resources will do so under supervision.

 

Natasha Mantock, Education Officer, UNICEF

“UNICEF’s collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology – did I miss something? Culture. Why – at the House of Culture and NICH continues to expand as it contributes to the realization of the rights of children and adolescents to quality, holistic, and relevant early childhood development, lifelong learning, especially for the most disadvantaged. The Science and Technology Unit, you guys are reimagining education with innovative practices, initiatives such as the Youth Spaces, Access 501, ConnectED, GIGA, and much more. More than just a physical space, youth spaces are a safe space for children. They’ll access resources, they’ll be connected, they’ll be supervised.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño was on hand to view the project and was impressed with what he saw.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Belizeans from all over the country can come or go online, or come here physically, and archive any reference they may have. Could you imagine five, ten years from now, and the wealth of information that we can have from all across this country? I think it’s quite an exciting initiative.”

 

The Minister of Education, Francis Fonseca reminded the gathering of the importance of culture and shared some of the plans to grow culture as a business in Belize.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education, Culture, Technology

“This Briceño government will expand and invest more In the Belize culture fund, we will develop an immersive and artistic Belize music, music museum. We will develop a plan for a children’s museum focusing on exploration and creativity. We will develop a new arts program, integrating it into STEAM education, and we will collaborate with our entrepreneurs across the country.”

 

Marion Ali for News Five.