Photo: Ministry of Education, FIFA Foundation and FFB

by Kristen Ku

BELIZE CITY, Mon. July 10, 2023

Football, widely revered as “the beautiful game”, is set to be a game-changer for education in Belize. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology; the Football Federation of Belize (FFB); and the FIFA Foundation Digital Education Program signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on July 7, to use the sport to enhance the education of Belizean students.

The innovative tripartite initiative, the first of its kind in the nation, aims to reach 10,000 students across Belize, intertwining the worlds of football and digital learning in a unique way.

“The strong, meaningful partnership between sports and education is well established,” shared Hon. Francis Fonseca, the Minister of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology. “Once again, we have the opportunity to work together to build on this legacy and foundation for the benefit of Belize’s young students.”

Under the agreement, the program will integrate cutting-edge technology and robotics into the national curriculum while incorporating the universal appeal of football. Participating students will be provided with relevant training, resources, school support, and evaluation in a bid to promote a comprehensive learning environment.

“This collaboration represents a milestone achievement that will be a lasting legacy for the development of the social capital of our Belizean youths,” commented Sergio Chuc, president of the FFB. “It’s an investment in education and an investment in football that will see the holistic growth of our youths,” he further said.

The initiative is part of a broader drive to promote quality education and healthy activity in Belize, by employing the collective appeal and reach of football. This joint effort will encourage students to view football as not just a game, but as a tool for learning, promoting creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

“With the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, we will use football to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in every corner of the globe, in the fields of education, gender equality, health and well-being, and climate action,” added Mauricio Macri, Executive Chairman of the FIFA Foundation.