National Security Strategy of Belize Build Stamina: Get and Keep Young People in Schools for More Years of Learning • • • • • • • Expand mandatory education to include secondary as well as primary levels with the introduction of 10 years of compulsory education for all. Provide a direct annual subsidy of $300.00 per student to qualifying first and second form students at enrollment to offset the high cost of school fees, in addition to the free tuition policy instituted by the UDP in 1993. Establish First and Second Forms as extensions of rural primary schools to give the rural population more education with less travel Standardize a core high school curriculum with vocational and technical options. Standardize high school textbooks and cycle usage for a minimum of 3 years. Allocate public funding to schools equitably by funding schools on a per-student basis. Provide basic literacy, numeracy and continuing education opportunities for both adults and youths who have left the formal system. Raise the Bar: Put a New Focus on Standards • • • • • • • • Foster full competence in English, Mathematics, Spanish, and the Physical and Social Sciences for all students. Subsidize the cost of CXC Examinations (CCSLC and CSEC) to ensure that all students are able to take the exams at least in core areas. Create National Education Performance Standards and direct resources to underresourced, underperforming schools to enable them to meet standards. Position remedial teachers throughout the school system to assist students in danger of failing. Support the development of after-school programmes to assist with homework, learning difficulties and provide healthy forms of recreation in arts, culture and sports. Activate the National Accreditation Council. Encourage the private and public sectors to support on-the-job training programmes and foster private sector grants, scholarships or other funding of tertiary level education. Expand courses at vocational and technical institutions, in partnership with the private sector, to develop a skilled labour force to meet the changing needs of new industries. The Strategy 25