Belize: Matching Human Resources Development with Supply and Demand for Higher-level Skills in Science and Technological Education Colin Young, Ph.D. Vice Minister Ministry of Energy, Science & Technology and Public Utilities

Belize: A Brief Overview Source: JcPmXf4en3U/UGIlEepPHcI/AAAAAAAACr4/1t98xNY4yeM/s1600/CentralAm ericaC.jpg

Belize: Brief Overview 2 nd smallest country in Central America (22,966 km 2 ) 351,000 people Only English speaking country in Latin America Young democracy (1981 from England)

Belize CaracolXunantunich maya-ruins-1-jpg.jpg content/uploads/2012/12/Xunantunich-S01.jpg

Belize Barrier Reef: 2 nd largest in the World Source: content/uploads/2013/10/Belize-Barrier-Reef2.jpg

Blue Hole lizes-blue-hole-3-jpg.jpg med.jpg

Rainforests and Ecosystem Diversity

Macro Economic Situation Source: IMF Country Report No.13/227

Macroeconomic situation cont. Source: IMF, 2013 Source: Jamaica Observer, 2014

Social Situation: Poverty Source: Country Poverty Assessment, 2010

U NEMPLOYMENT R ATE BY A GE Source: Statistical Institute of Belize

Belize: Education Infrastructure  Education Infrastructure: – 570 schools operating in Belize. 209 preschools 295 primary schools 53 secondary schools 10 junior colleges, and 3 universities – 10 institutes with a focus on technical and vocation education

Belize: Enrollment by Levels  Total enrollment in was 104,960 o 7,116 in preschools, o 69,331 in primary schools, or 66% of total o 566 in ITVETs, or 0.5% o 19,665 in secondary schools, or 18.7% o 3,653 in junior colleges, and 3.5% o 4,629 in universities or 4.4% of total

Belize: Systemic Challenges in Education  44.3% pre-school attendance rate, below 71% in LAC  45% of secondary-aged students in school; < 80% in LAC  Tertiary enrollment in LAC TWICE that of Belize (18%) versus 50% in English-speaking Caribbean  Teacher training: Fewer than 45% of teachers in primary and secondary are trained versus 78% in LAC  44% trained at primary level  30% in secondary level (2010 data) - 40% secondary level education only  15% of UB’s faculty has a PhD; only 2 of 1O junior colleges have 1 PhD on staff  60% of teachers at tertiary level has only a bachelors degree

Six Lessons from Korea: Applicability to Belize Context? 1.Government-led role in skills development – Evidence-based and demand driven (5 years economic plans) 2.Division of role of government and private sector – Hybrid system for training based on competencies of each – Use of legislative mechanisms to achieve policy objectives (e.g., mandatory training laws, incentive-based reward ) 3.Complementarities between vocational education and vocational training – Two track system: Vocational education and vocational training Formal vocational education Target vocational training based on needs

Lessons from Korea cont. 4. Adoption of training fields to meet demand – Identification of training fields for targeted training systems – Public training – focus on skill demanded by majority of industries – Enterprise training – focus of specialized occupations and those that required expensive facilities 5. Financing Mechanisms – Legislative mechanisms (training subsidy, incentive-based training – Use of foreign assistance (aid and loans) to acquire expertise and equipment based on demand – Government leverage opportunities by providing buildings and land 6. National Qualifications System – credibility to training programs (e.g., vocational) – Signal to the labor market on skills competence

Belize: Human Resources Development: the Way Forward  Need to strengthen existing institutions at all levels;  Interventions should be evidence-based and demand driven  Foster “Dual education model” Partnership with private sector to match supply and demand skills – Re-engineering of educational curricula based on private sector demands  Identify mechanisms to ‘lead frog’ using comparative advantages

Belize: Human Resources Development: the Way Forward cont. Science, Technology & Innovation Strategy KSP? – Assist Belize to chart national efforts to better integrate STI is national development – Allow us to better match human resources development with supply and demand in higher STI skills

2013 KSP Experience: National Transportation Master Plan Sharing of Korea’s Development Experience – Evidence-based approach – Knowledge-base economy Development of a practical and usable National Transportation Master Plan (first in Belize’s history) – Inclusive of Financing component Improved inter-ministerial cooperation and coordination Strengthening bi-lateral cooperation between Belize and Korea Increased public sector-private sector dialogue Expanded Horizons of Belizean delegation that visited Korea

Future KSP: Recommendations More in-country time to understand culture and physical constraints Selection of ‘expert’ local consultants Recommendation to improve severe limitations encountered (e.g., data collection templates)

THANK YOU! GRACIAS!