Education - Channel 5 Belize

1200 Students Attend GeoEducation Expo in Belize City

Today, over a thousand students from all over the country came together for the ninth annual GeoEducation Expo. This interactive event is all about inspiring the next generation of educators and students to dive into the world of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and see how it plays a crucial role in education and advancing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). Earlier today, News Five’s Britney Gordon stopped by the Ramada Hotel in Belize City to get the scoop. Here’s her report.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

To most people, the term Geographic Information Systems (GIS) might not sound familiar. But these powerful databases are used in many areas of our lives, like population surveys, weather tracking, and land assessment. Since 2011, Total Business Solutions Limited has been shining a light on the importance of GIS through the GeoEducation Expo. Managing Director Loretta Palacio explains how these systems can be lifesavers in times of crisis.

Loretta Palacio, Managing Director, T.B.S.L.

“We’re all familiar with an Excel file, a database file. GIS makes it geographic. So you can look at the waters. You can look at low-lying areas. We’re experiencing floods right now. We’re talking about a digital terrain model that’s updated for additional evasion data that is accurate. So we can help the government, the organizations villagers, and residents, to understand why the flooding is happening and what we can do to mitigate the risk.”

Presenting at the event were representatives from the Belize Defense Force, the Department of the Environment, and other organizations that utilize G.I.S. in their daily operations.

Loretta Palacio

“We have on display several maps, digital maps, physical maps showing the constituencies, what are the latest numbers. Which constituency have the smallest number of voters for the upcoming general election? You know, which constituency have the highest number? And so we’ve updated that and that’s on display. We also got data from the National Meteorological Service for the rains that came from November 14th to the seventeenth. And NMS, with Shirley Young, for helping us with that data. We have a beautiful map dashboard that shows the areas that received most of the rains.”

The event took place at the Ramada Hotel in Belize City, but participants came from all corners of the country. Students from Toledo Community College were up bright and early, boarding the bus at 5:30 a.m. to get there. Fourth Form student Fabian Solarzano shared that the trip was definitely worth it.

Fabian Solorzano, Student, Toledo Community College

“I’m excited to be here today, even though the sacrifice is big, to get up early and stuff. Yeah but it’s worth the trip, it’s good to learn a lot of things, especially when it comes to G.I.S. The different platforms you can use it in, how it is applied like maybe in fields like geography, or maybe analyzing data, gathering a lot of information and placing it in one thing so you can display it to people and it makes life easier.”

Britney Gordon

“What’s been the most exciting part of today’s experience?”

Fabian Solorzano

“Something that caught my attention today was how they use G.I.S. to interpret 3D models. For example, like the one just previewed, we just passed now, the one with the forecast, so they can predict what can happen over a long period of time. Maybe if there’s severe rainfall, how it gets 3D scale and imagery uses is very interesting.”

Another TCC student, Jeffrey Sho has a passion for technology. He hopes that in the future, more Belizeans are afforded the opportunity to foster a love for the field as he did.

Jeffrey Sho, Student, Toledo Community College

“Well, I absolutely love technology, I love the fact that ArcGIS as the organization has taken their time to teach Belize or educate Belize about these topics, because I do feel that most Belizeans aren’t tech-savvy, and I appreciate them. I do wish that more schools would be available to partake in these events.”

The aspiring technician explains that events such as the GeoEducation fair expose him to different fields where he can apply his skills.

Jeffrey Sho

“I love technology, and my future career is to be a computer technician or IT major. So, I love G.I.S. I find it interesting, and I find it very useful. Find it interesting how they use it in crime, Belize Defense Force, and other organizations.”

With technology advancing at lightning speed, it’s essential for kids to learn how these systems work and how they’re used in the real world.

Loretta Palacio

“We’re in a digital world. When we hear about digital transformation. So, digital transformation in education is here, has been here. But are we really serious about it? Are we using the available technologies to help our students learn better? To help our. educators teach better? And also to expose our students to careers? Because with G.I.S, it’s not only for you to be a tech person, but if you’re a marketing analyst, if you’re an agronomist, you’re a doctor, you need GIS, right? You’re a disaster management expert, whichever profession that you choose, GIS is relevant.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Using Geographic Information Systems to Sort out Life

New Book for Children and People of All Ages

Kids have a new book to spark their imaginations! Today, author Karryn Dawson launched her children’s book, Dream Powers: Where Dreams Become Reality. The launch event was held at the Lake Independence Public Library in Belize City. According to the author’s daughter, Zyrah Noralez, the book’s themes resonate with readers of all ages. Here’s News Five’s Marion Ali with the full report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Today, Karryn Dawson launched her debut book, Where Dreams Become Reality. This inspiring book encourages children to chase their dreams. Dawson’s daughter, who helped with the project, shared that it all began with a dream.

Zyrah Noralez, Daughter of Author

“It really generally started off when my mom had this dream and she has a lot of dreams and so, and she has this thing where she’s dreaming, she’s feeling so she knows how to dictate and how to express what’s happening. So, this was a dream that she had. And she said it was after many more than she had. And she said, why would I keep holding this in? I could make a book out of this and out of many life stories.”

The author explained what she did after she had the dream and that the dream included some suspense.

Karryn Dawson, Author

“I dreamt it two to three years ago. I wrote it immediately, but I never put it in a book form until about, uh, last year. And then I officially made it a publication in January of this year.”

Britney Gordon

“So this entire story was inspired by a dream you have. What can readers expect when they dive into this story? What are we truly following?”

Karryn Dawson

“Well, we’re expecting suspense. We’re expecting excitement. The reality is that the book encourages you to dream. It’s letting you know that it’s okay to dream. And I’m trying to think of the right words to say without revealing what’s going to happen in the book, because it is a short book. You can sit and read it in one sit down, but what I can tell you is that there’s a part two coming.”

Zyrah Noralez explained that she and her mom share some real-life challenges that some of us can relate to.

Zyrah Noralez

“We are both clumsy people. So we could make a reality show out of our lives at this point. And this book was written by my mom and I oversee it. And I thought that It would be beneficial for her to turn it into a book, and I think it’s nice, and I think that, um, even if you’re above the age range, which is 6 to 10 years old, I think that children before the age of 6 could also read it, because you know they have some children who are advanced, and also children who may not be able to read it themselves, but their parents or guardians may be able to read it to them, and I feel like they would find it very amusing.”

The book is available in both Spanish and French. Dawson’s second book, Less is More, offers a faith-driven perspective on redefining success through purpose, impact, and balance. Marion Ali for News Five.

UNICEF Celebrates 35th Anniversary of Convention on the Rights of Children

Earlier this week, people worldwide celebrated World Children’s Day, a special occasion dedicated to giving kids a platform to voice their opinions on issues that matter to them. But the festivities don’t stop there! Throughout this month, UNICEF is hosting various programs and events where children can come together, express themselves, and share their views. This year is extra special as it marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We caught up with Stephanie Daniels from UNICEF to get the scoop on how Belize is joining in the celebrations this year.

Stephanie Daniels, UNICEF

“So this year marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and so UNICEF Belize and our partners have kind of scheduled a year worth of activities to mark this milestone. And some of them have already passed, so you’re looking at consultations that have happened in the past, like the General 27 consultations on access to justice and effective remedies. We also recently, just last week, did the International Day of the Girl Adolescent Town Hall, which looked at allowing girls the space to ask for the things they need to feel empowered and to have the future they want for themselves. Also on the pipeline tomorrow actually is the VNR national consultations where we’re looking at young people’s participation in the SDGs. And then we’re also looking at a geo education for a forum expo that is coming up on the 27th that looks at children engagement in geo technology. And so today we launched our art ambassador, Mr. Keon Griffiths, and he was able to showcase his piece today. So there’s just been a host of activities. Because children’s rights and advocating for them can’t be just one day. This is a continuous thing that we have to do. Every year we acknowledge where we have grown and what we have accomplished, but then we’re also visioning and looking towards what are the other things we need to change.”

Dr. Babb Launches Third Book in Jacito Financial Management Series

The third installment of the Jacito Learns Financial Literacy series has finally arrived! In this new book, Jacito Learns to Budget, Doctor Carol Babb, Education Director of the Holy Redeemer Credit Union, dives into the challenging yet crucial skill of budgeting. Over the weekend, News Five’s Britney Gordon attended the book launch, which is set to revolutionize children’s literature in Belize.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Managing money is one of life’s toughest challenges. Even as adults, many people find it hard to balance their finances and save for a rainy day. That’s why Dr. Carol Babb, the Education Director at Holy Redeemer Credit Union, has spent years helping children develop the financial skills they’ll need throughout their lives. She shares how she’s making a difference with her new book, Jacito Learns to Budget.

Dr. Carol Babb, Author

“All the books are focused on financial literacy, which is a very important life skill,a skill that everyone should acquire to learn to save and to manage your money so that you can live a productive life. And it’s also important for the government to become more aware of the importance of financial literacy. It is extremely important if we want to ensure that our economy grows and that our people are productive, and they are enjoying good health. Because whenever our members or our people don’t have money, they’re not well, they’re not financially well. And so, if we want to promote financial wellness, the method for that, or the medicine for that, or the cure for that, is financial literacy.”

In the first installment of this series, Jacito Learns to Save, Babb teaches children the value of working for something they want, and the sequel, Jacito Opens an Account at HRCU, encourages financial independence.

Dr. Carol Babb

“There were two important messages that the loving grandmother taught Jacito that whenever you want anything in life you should work for it. So, it’s, it’s a message that parents need to teach their children at a very early age, the importance of working and importance of saving. Zero to eight is a formative age through which children can learn about anything, especially.”

The illustrated book features Jacito, a relatable main character who chats with the adults around him instead of just following orders. Luciola Castillo, Chief Librarian of National Library Services, emphasizes the importance of creating books in a language that’s easy for children to understand.

Luciola Castillo, Chief Librarian, National Library Services

“Now we have Dr. Babb’s book to help us teach our children, youths, and even adults about budgeting and the wise decisions we have to make to ensure that we have a productive and good quality of life. Being aware of the implications of financial literacy will lead us to make better financial decisions. It was to reach our goals, be better financial managers of our earnings, reduce our expenses by knowing what we should give priority to and spend wisely by creating a budget and be consistent with it.”

Building on the lessons from Babb’s earlier books, Jacito now dives into more advanced topics like diversifying income. Gemayel Babb, Executive Director of the Belize Credit Union League, highlights the importance of teaching these essential financial concepts early to lay the groundwork for smart money habits.

Gemayel Babb, Executive Director, Belize Credit Union League

“Now, as Jacinto mastered the difference between wants and needs, he then moves into the concept where he’s introduced to expense and income. Jacito independently explores the idea of fixed and variable expenses, showing curiosity and problem-solving skills. Though presented as a children’s story, these accounting principles, familiar to many of us in the room due to our profession and our education, are critically under thought in the educational system.”

Dr. Babb has already begun working on her fourth Jacito book and is excited to see where the series takes her. Britney Gordon for News Five.

UB Hosts Think Green, act Smart Climate Symposium

In Belmopan, young people are coming together to take part in climate-resilient projects, thanks to funding from the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action fund. These initiatives are designed to put youth at the forefront of climate action. Today, the University of Belize hosted the Youth Climate Action Symposium, where students learned how they can drive the environmental changes they want to see.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

“Think Green, Act Smarter” That’s the theme of today’s Youth Climate Action Symposium at the University of Belize in Belmopan. The forum brought together one hundred and fifty students from primary, secondary, and tertiary schools to raise awareness about climate change. Samih Young, the president of the university’s environmental club, shared insights on the topics discussed during the event.

Samih Young, President, Environmental Club, UB

“For an example we have, How climate change affects biodiversity loss and forestry. And another one would be, How climate change affects agriculture and food security. All very really good thematic focuses, and then we’ll have experts from different organizations, both NGOs and government organizations, come here, in these classrooms, to provide the students with statistics, and they’re the experts and they’re going to provide us with their information to educate us about how climate change is actually affecting these different things.”

The symposium is part of a broader initiative funded by the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund, which offers technical support and funding to over a hundred mayors, helping them engage thousands of young people in creating and managing urgent climate solutions in their cities. Mayor Pablo Cawich mentioned that the groundwork for the hundred-thousand-dollar grant was laid by the previous administration and continued when he took office. Now, the city council is aiming for another grant, this time for two hundred thousand dollars, to support even more projects.

Pablo Cawich, Mayor of Belmopan

“There are many different results that we expect. Yesterday I attended another function for Raquel art, who was also another recipient of the fund. And they have repurposed materials as part of art. There are different projects depend for the different groups. We have in the case of, I think, UB, they had a reforesting initiative for the Ten Cents Creek. We have other agencies that, or other recipients that also had had awareness campaigns. So the results of the fund and the investment. is in different aspects of climate change.”

The money is to be distributed among ten different youth-led projects. Each group put together a proposal detailing their project’s scope and the positive impact it would have on the environment. Doctor Pio Saki, advisor of the environmental club at UB explained that process to us.

Dr. Pio Saki, Advisor, Environmental Club, UB

“It was very specific and it points directly to what we do as an environmental club. Our motto is serve to conserve and let nature educate. That’s the motto of the environmental club. And this project had an aspect where we’re supposed to engage community on climate impacts and climate action that we need to take, particularly for the city of Belmopan. The project was very, specific, that was, but is very specific. And so our proposal is aimed at creating this awareness among schools and the university of students on climate impact in Belize.”

For many attendees, today’s event was their first experience at a climate-focused forum. Aya Elkishawi, a standard six student from Garden City Primary School, was thrilled to contribute to strengthening Belize’s climate resilience.

Aya Elkishawi, Std 6 Student, Garden City Primary School

“When you take care of your environment, it’s better for the whole climate and the Earth. And it’s just better because when you start young and try to help, it will be better when you’re older.”

Britney Gordon

“What are some small changes that you think you can make in your life to preserve the environment?”

Aya Elkishawi

“Well, I think that we should stop littering and try to throw them in garbage and not in oceans or lakes or rivers or any of that, take care of the water.”

Britney Gordon for News Five

30 Straight Championship Wins for SCA Seahawks

Over the weekend, the Saint Catherine Academy Seahawks volleyball team celebrated a historic victory at the annual Belize City championship game. This win marks their thirtieth straight victory, a remarkable milestone for the school. Today, the team held a press conference to reflect on their thirty years of success and to share what’s next for them. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

For the thirtieth year in a row, Saint Catherine Academy’s volleyball team has once again brought home the trophy from the Belize Central Volleyball Championships. This incredible streak highlights their dominance and dedication over the past three decades. SCA principal, Salome Tillett emphasized the significance of this accomplishment.

Salome Tillett, Principal, SCA

“The record streak that we celebrate today started before some of you were born, certainly before the team was born. It started under the principal sister Caritas Lawrence, sport director Brian Smutney, a Peace Corps and Alan Sharp as a volleyball coach. We track it back to 1995 but arguably maybe a little bit more because we saw a 1994 for nationals. So to get to nationals, we must have passed Central. So we may go a little bit further back. Imagine, SCA streak started three years before Libero became a position, Sacil. Before the world knew what was Libero, we already had a streak. And it started one year before beach volleyball was even included in the Olympics. That’s to tell you how long ago we are talking about.”

The team adds this milestone to the long list of achievements. In October, the girls brought home a bronze medal from the CODICADER games in El Salvador. Team captain Akili Jones, who also represents Belize on the national team alongside SCA alum Gareth Bruce, says this victory is just the beginning. The team’s success story is far from over.

Akili Jones, Captain

“We’d like to achieve this for many more years, more than thirty. It is a great thing to be a part of this legacy. It gives us motivation to push further, to want to be more, to continue pushing and creating more space for new children to come along. Other people, new generations, more and more to come and play volleyball and continue our legacy.”

This achievement showcases the incredible potential for young women across Belize to excel in sports. The team is made up of girls from all corners of the country, many of whom received scholarships from their head coach and volleyball legend, Lupita Quan. Sherlene Johnson, the current team coach, knows firsthand the impact of these opportunities. Born and raised in Dangriga, she moved to Belize City to join the team. Now, she’s dedicated to mentoring and shaping the next generation of volleyball stars.

Sherlene Johnson, Coach

“I used to play in a backyard with Mrs. Sabal. Nonetheless, I came up here to follow my, to follow the volleyball career as well. And I end up here at SCA and miss Lupita , as well as some of the girls that have gotten scholarship from her. I got that as well. And she took me under her wings, and I continued from there.”

Johnson joined the lineup as a line player and sees much of herself in Akili, the current captain of the team, who plays the same position.

Sherlene Johnson

“What inspired me, what had me here, was the fact that I love the sport. I love what I do. And to be able to give back is one of the greatest reward to see all the girls or ladies become grateful about players and amazing women in society”

The twenty-one players on the SCA Seahawks juggle their schoolwork, home lives, and team commitments. Thanks to the support of their families and the camaraderie with their teammates, they strive for excellence and keep bringing home the gold.

Salome Tillett

“These young women that you see today, they embody true, the true spirit of sport. Through the years, we’ve stepped it up another notch, and we have our eyes on international tournaments, including our first participation at CODICADER, where we won a bronze in 2012, and we did it again in 2024.You see the results, but we see the other side of it. We see the hard work, the countless hours of practice, The pain, the aches, the relentless scheduling, the juggling of the work, the disciplined commitments of our athletes, and that is truly what we are here to celebrate today.”

On Friday, the team will travel to Orange Walk to compete in the national tournament, where they hope they will bring home another win for the Seahawks. Britney Gordon for News Five.

Time for a Film School in Belize?

What about the idea of a film school in Belize? A local film company is reportedly planning to use Galen University’s film industry classes to make this happen. Minister Fonseca thinks it’s a great idea, but he mentioned that they need more details about the plan to figure out how the government can support it.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education & Culture

“It would be a good opportunity but I’d really have to see a proposal from them. We’d have to look at it and determine how that would work and how it would complement what we are already doing here in belize. Um, but certainly, um, you know we welcome opportunities for our people to to get you know, um exposed to Areas of media and film and that sort of thing. That’s something that’s lacking um, so You know, we we would certainly in principle welcome it but we have to look at a more detailed proposal to determine if it’s something We would support.”

It’s an exciting prospect, and with the right backing, it could really put Belize on the map in the film industry.

34 Officers Graduate From P.E.A.C.E Program Training

The Positive Engagement and Civic Education Program or P.E.A.C.E Program was launched in late 2023 to encourage youths to stand up against bullying and gang violence. The program was developed through a collaboration between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Education, with support from the U.S. Embassy. The program is expanding beyond the Old Capital. And today, the Belize Police Department graduated an additional thirty-four officers equipped with the necessary told to go out and engage youths on the program’s curriculum. We spoke with Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, at today’s graduation ceremony.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We are now expanding on that program. The expansion required that we had to train more police officers and instructors to go into the classroom and instruct on the content of the peace program. So, we are graduating thirty-four offices today and they are from across the country. Their task will be to ensure they go into the classrooms as we now expand the program across the country. We expect they are going to instruct the students on the content of this program. Again, it is a part of our community policing programs. You would know we are currently embarking more aggressively on the importance of community policing. If it is that we want to break the cycle of gangs, we have to start with children who are in that primary school age, making sure we raise the tree the right way is important, because if you neglect the tree and the tree bends it is going to be difficult to straighten that tree.”

A Challenge to Inclusivity; Hearing Individuals Learn Sign Language.

In our weekly segment, On The Bright Side, we continue to explore unconventional forms of education. So far, we’ve highlighted virtual learning spaces, where online education is making strides at the primary level in Belize, and examined the Montessori approach, known for encouraging independence and confidence in children. This week, we focus on a long-standing yet often underappreciated form of education that plays a crucial role in serving a specific community—sign language. As a vital tool for communication and learning among the hearing impaired, we take a closer look at the process of learning sign language. Here’s the story.

On Friday afternoons in Belize City, Stella Maris School buzzes with activity as students participate in various clubs designed to promote their growth and practical skills. In a small classroom, teacher Sheree Thurton-Gillett works with hearing-impaired students, introducing them to or enhancing their understanding of sign language.Thurton-Gillett is on a mission to teach hearing-impaired individuals the language of the deaf—Sign Language. She is a special needs educator for children with diverse abilities. Although the institution caters to students with various disabilities, Thurton-Gillett recognised that inclusivity could be taken a step further. Recently, her latest venture has been the inclusion of teachers and other students.

Sheree Thurton-Gillett, Teacher, Stella Maris School
“My reason here to have the sign language classes is to allow teachers and other students to communicate with those who can’t hear so that they can feel accepted and comfortable enough to share whatever they need to share because they tend to get bored and they get frustrated because they can’t communicate with others. Even though we can’t hear, to me it’s important for us to learn their language so that they can communicate with us, and for example, since I have only one hearing impaired student, I would like him or her to know, um, if they’re understanding what I’m teaching or how it is at home. You know, stuff like that.”

Sabreena Daly, Reporting
“I’m standing in one of the busiest commercial places in the heart of the Old Capital. Mikado Textile Palace is not only known for its quality in fabric but also for its progressive initiative in hiring special needs workers. When walking through these alleyways, you’ll likely be interacting with hearing-impaired persons, limited to signing with each other. Or, when interacting with customers, writing on paper to speak to you. But how much better would it be if we actually knew their language?”

Teresita Gladden, Staff, Mikado Textile Palace
“On a daily basis, we have approximately a hundred customers walking through our doors. We have Mr. Glenford and Shane that the customers interact with. Whether it’s with a pen and a piece of paper or with their phones. They would assist the customers with curtains, comforters, bedsheets, anything that they needed, or even help them. There are few customers that come in and know sign language, and they interact with the guys very much. But we try to also understand Glenford and Shane. Whether it’s by a piece of paper or some of the girls in here, they’re also learning sign language through them.”

Both of these gentlemen would have passed through the learning system at Stella Maris and are considered great examples of what inclusivity can look like for persons with diverse abilities. Sheree Salgado, another teacher at Stella Maris, urges everyone to learn sign language to improve communication with the hearing impaired and promote inclusivity.

Sheree Salgado, Teacher, Stella Maris
“It’s very important for us to spread the word of persons who are hearing impaired, or we call them deaf. It’s not only for those persons, but it’s for those people in the society as a whole, persons who will be able to communicate with them. So you don’t have to be deaf or hearing impaired for you to learn sign language. What I have to say to the general public as a whole, if you see a student or a person who is hearing impaired, it’s not hard for you to learn their language. You have to be interested, first, to want to know how to communicate with these students. And that’s the reason why we embarked on this sign language course that Ms. Thurton is doing right now. So that we can invite others to come in and learn a language so that they will be better able to communicate with these persons living with hearing impairment.”

And while Thurton-Gillett is working overtime to equip her student body and colleagues with the ability to communicate with the hearing impaired, she also extends an invitation to the general public to learn sign as well. Whether it’s for personal development or to add support to those in need, her message is clear: inclusivity. She firmly believes that everyone deserves to feel included, regardless of their abilities or limitations.

Sheree Thurton- Gillett
“It’s just simple classes most of the time I’m willing to give classes to help them communicate with those who can’t hear or just to have them have something else on their resume. I find that it’s more needed now than ever because there are more hearing impaired students just coming up and coming out more. So we need to equip ourselves at least with the basic science.”

Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.

Have you considered a Montessori Education?

As we dive deeper into the world of unconventional education, we’ve been captivated by some unique teaching styles that haven’t quite hit the mainstream in Belize yet. One standout is the Montessori method. Even though Doctor Maria Montessori introduced this approach back in the early 1900s, it’s only found a home in one school here. But that’s starting to change as more parents discover the incredible benefits and the special kind of empowerment it offers their kids. This week, we’re excited to take you on a tour of the Children’s House at Mother of Mercy Montessori. Let’s jump into the story.

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

The Montessori method is all about meeting students where they are, adapting to their unique learning pace and style. Developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s, this approach was truly ahead of its time. It uses sensory experiences to guide learning, helping kids build confidence and feel empowered. Globally, it’s a popular choice for many, known for its hands-on learning, focus on key developmental stages, and deep respect for each child’s individuality. But here in Belize, Montessori is still a bit of a novelty. We took a trip to Mother of Mercy Montessori, the only school in the country that formally embraces this innovative system.

Alma Habet, Lead Guide, Mother of Mercy Montessori

“We’ve been here for about six years now. This is our sixth year. And we’ve started with a daycare, and then we’re building, we’re moving to primary and lower elementary and upper elementary.”

Sabreena Daly
“In the Montessori method, I’m inside what is considered a child’s house. When compared to the traditional teaching system here in Belize, this would be deemed a classroom. And what we call teachers, a Montessori school refers to as guides.”

Alma Habet, the lead guide at Mother of Mercy Montessori, has the wonderful task of nurturing children of all different ages. Her calm and welcoming demeanor creates a space where the unique personalities of each child can flourish. With gentle encouragement, she leans over and invites a student to join her in a sentence-writing lesson, fostering a love for learning in the process.

Alma Habet
“Children are not interested in always telling them what to do and they’re capable of so much more. So we have small rooms where a child can do exactly what an adult is doing. That they need respect. We need to give them that dignity that every human person needs to have. So, once a child has that and they are followed, they’re observed. We know where to meet them. They come from different backgrounds. They have different experiences. So they all bring this together in the children’s house.”

Rosaline Bradley has been instrumental in bringing this forward-thinking educational method to life. With her extensive experience in Belize’s education system, she passionately underscores the value of the Montessori approach and its transformative potential for how children in Belize learn and grow.

Rosaline Bradley, First Chair, Mother Of Mercy Montessori

“One of the values that I noticed is that it’s very hands-on. And so the students make their choices and they have to stay on an activity for a length of time. And so with that, they develop that skill of learning on their own and persevering, whatever it is that they want to learn. What are some of the difficulties? Working through challenges, making decisions, choices, and so on. And I think that’s one of the things that even in the regular school as a teacher educator, one of the things that I encourage teachers to do is to not just talk to students, but students learn by doing.”

Alma Habet

“So they get everything that they need as a traditional school, except it’s just done in a different way. So, instead of maybe just using books, if they’re going to do a science experiment, they’re actually going to go outdoors and do the real experiment. It’s not going to just be like reading off from a book or studying or memorizing.”

With more students joining every year, this young school is gearing up to grow alongside its children as they move up to higher grades. They’re committed to continuing their journey with the Montessori method, nurturing each child’s development every step of the way. Parents have cited the positive impacts on their children’s development. One of these parents even mentioned that she chose Mother of Mercy Montessori for her youngest child after experiencing the benefits of Montessori education with her older children abroad.

Jocelin Carvajal, Parent, Mother of Mercy Montessori
“I love it. I already told my husband I want my kids to stay there all the way to the elementary position because I have seen them grow and it is just so amazing. I am surprised.”

Tanya Hulse, Parent, Mother of Mercy Montessori
“I remember when I had first gone to a Montessori school, they gave you a whole list of assessments that your child would be able to meet at the end of each program. And so it wasn’t just like learning ABC’s or coloring, there was a whole list of things that they give to you. So I was very happy. And my older children had a very, very good experience. So when I realized that they had a Montessori school here as well, and then those children have grown up and now I have little ones,I thought, you know, it would be perfect.”

Alma Habet

“I think if they want something different, if they’re willing to learn the method, it would be a great step forward because the children can have better critical thinking and even speak out when they need to. They have freedom with boundaries, so we still need to discipline, but it’s more of a respectful way, not what the guide wants or what the parent wants only. So there’s a lot of sacrifice on the part of the adult.”

Looking on the Bright Side, Im Sabreena Daly

If you are interested in learning more about the Mother of Mercy Montessori, you can contact info@motherofmercymontessori.com or call 223-7073