The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology appreciates and supports the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Wellness to contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 throughout Belize.

The effects of the pandemic have indeed been far-reaching and crippling to so many aspects of our lives, and we applaud the tireless efforts of teachers, principals, and family members who have been working together to keep learning happening as much as possible for all our students. These past months have not only been about a dramatic shift in how students learn, but also about the resilience of our people in surviving a pandemic.

It is crucial at this time that we continue to maintain the strictest possible standards of behavior for the health and well-being of all our families. Schools will remain closed for face-to-face learning in January and until it is deemed safe for our students and teachers to return to the classroom. Distance learning will continue. Principals and teachers are asked to continue collaborating to ensure safe working conditions, including working on shifts and working from home where possible.

A COVID-19 Education Task Force is being formed and that team will take the lead in planning for schools to reopen safely. That is our wish for 2021: that our families will be healthy and happy, and that it will soon be safe for classes to return to the normal we know and love