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February 7th teachers rally in Belmopan to launch “No Teacher Left Behind” platform

HeadlineFebruary 7th teachers rally in Belmopan to launch “No Teacher Left Behind” platform

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education and Nadia Martin-Caliz, National President, BNTU

BELIZE CITY, Sat. Jan. 25, 2025

The Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) has designated Friday, February 7, as a day to flex its muscles in the capital, Belmopan. Branches of the union which were represented at a Council of Management meeting near the end of this week voted to hold a rally in Belmopan to launch a “No Teacher Left Behind” initiative. National BNTU President, Nadia Martin-Caliz announced this to the union’s membership today while reporting to them on their stakeholders meeting with officials from different arms of government – including the Ministry of Education – and representatives of the managing authorities of pre-primary, primary and secondary schools     on Thursday, January 23. It was agreed that there will be two follow-up meetings this year, one in June and the other in October.

At the conclusion of the stakeholders meeting, at which the Social Security Board, Belize Tax Service and Treasury Department were represented, the Education Ministry, union and managing authorities signed a joint statement. In it, the Ministry committed to address the late payment of salaries, allowances and increments for some teachers, the hiring of new teachers and professional development. The document outlined steps the Ministry intends to take to fulfil its promises.

After the preamble, the matter of the late payments was positioned at the very top of the statement, and the Ministry declared that “a reliable system will be implemented to track and guarantee timely payments, reducing disruptions and financial uncertainties for school administrators and teachers.” Additionally, it committed to digitizing the allowance application process, with digital forms to be made available in mid-February. Digitizing the increment certificates will follow, and that should be in place by July 2025. As it relates to salary payments, the Ministry says additional staff will be recruited so that any kinks are eliminated by the start of the new fiscal year in April 2025.

In the case of teachers not yet appointed despite already serving in vacant positions, the Ministry says, if the process is not completed before the expiration of their Continuous Employment Contract, the administrators and teachers will see their contracts automatically renewed once notification is received from their respective schools.

For new teachers, whether temporary or emergency hires, the Ministry expects to develop standardized templates to streamline the application process. These should be in place by the end of February 2025.

In the section of the statement that addresses professional development, the Ministry offered to provide additional tuition scholarships in cohorts of 11 for in-service teachers to pursue careers in high-priority areas. It also committed to provide financial support for 50 students pursuing a teaching career.

Special Temporary Permits will be issued to trained professionals in high-demand subject areas to work part-time as instructors, particularly at TVETS.

Another point of discussion had to do with the record keeping of teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (CPD) hours. 

Reporting on the meeting that was chaired by Minister of Education, Hon. Francis Fonseca, the Education Ministry wrote in a media release that all parties “have reaffirmed their commitment to fostering collaboration and enhancing Belize’s education system for the benefit of all stakeholders.” Fonseca told the media he was proud of the meeting, and said it was the outcome of several previous meetings about the challenges related to the late payments, which were held with a view to ensuring that they fix the system “once and for all.”

Minister of Education, Hon. Francis Fonseca chairs stakeholder meeting with the BNTU and managing authorities of pre-primary, primary and secondary schools

In her brief report to the union membership today, Martin-Caliz welcomed the professional development gains that came out of the meeting. However, she then reported that the union has learned that 658 teachers have not been paid their 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 increments. “That is a significant number,” remarked Martin-Caliz, before affirming that, “Not because [the] majority received, we are going to ignore the fact that these teachers need us.” She would later indicate that they will still hold their rally because they need to ensure “that it comes down to zero”.  “This does not mean that we are not in agreement with the Ministry of Education, not in agreement with the managements; it simply means that we are holding them accountable, to make certain that the 658 get what they deserve,” she said.

As to the initiative that she described as a “watch”, she explained that they will “put up” the 658 figure, “and each time that a teacher on that list receives his or her increment/salary upgrade, we’re gonna reduce the number – because we’re gonna keep watch over it.” She added that the Council of Management believes that the union needs to send a message on behalf of those teachers who have not received their increments. She then asked, “And why is it that the Council feels this way? Because when we look at the reasons given by educators, it is not something that sits well with us.” According to Martin-Caliz, when some of their teachers go to their managements to ask questions about the delays, some of the responses they are given are, “We don’t know”, or they are ignored or yelled at. 

Martin-Caliz concluded her report by affirming, “Even if it’s one teacher, we have to represent you.”

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