Photo: Hon. Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

Minister of Education, Hon. Francis Fonseca has announced that students will be returning to the classroom on Monday, November 7.

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Fri. Nov. 4, 2022

Preparations began early in the week for the landfall of Hurricane Lisa in the country, with the designation of hurricane shelters (many of which were schools in the community) being one of the key steps taken by the government and various emergency organizations.

The Ministry of Education then announced that as a result of the use of many school buildings as shelters, there would be no classes, starting Tuesday of this week, until an appropriate time, to be determined by the Ministry.

At a press conference held by the Prime Minister on Thursday, however, Hon. Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education, announced that schools will be reopening on Monday, November 7. As a result, arrangements have been made with NEMO to provide persons sheltering at the schools an alternate shelter so that classes can resume on Monday.

“As you know, today the schools are used as hurricane shelters. So, we have asked NEMO that those schools that are used as hurricane shelters, between now and Monday that they make every effort to have those schools, all the people in those shelters, taken elsewhere, and all the adequate arrangements made for them. We are [committed] to having schools, all schools reopened on Monday, November 7th, and so, we are asking between now and Monday that those teachers, especially where your schools are used as shelters, check on the condition of your schools and make sure that it is prepared and ready for classes on Monday,” he said.