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: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JcPmXf4en3U/UGIlEepPHcI/AAAAAAAACr4/1t98xNY4yeM/s1600/CentralAmericaC.jpg

Belize: Brief Overview

• 2nd smallest country in Central America (22,966 km2)

• 351,000 people• Only English speaking

country in Latin America• Young democracy (1981

from England)

Belize

Caracol Xunantunich

http://images.boomsbeat.com/data/images/full/14439/belize-maya-ruins-1-jpg.jpg

http://www.hannastables.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Xunantunich-S01.jpg

Belize Barrier Reef: 2nd largest in the World

Source: http://www.slickrock.com/Maps/satellite.jpg http://www.travelx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Belize-Barrier-Reef2.jpg

Blue Hole

http://images.boomsbeat.com/data/images/full/13925/belizes-blue-hole-3-jpg.jpg

http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/artparks/blueholemed.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

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BY AGE

All Ages

55 & Over

45 - 54

35 - 44

25 - 34

14 - 24

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0%

14.2%

10.1%

10.4%

8.4%

12.7%

25.3%

Figure 3. Unemployment Rate by Age, September, 2013

Age

G

rou

p

Unemployment Rate

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 2011-12 was 104,960o 7,116 in preschools, o 69,331 in primary schools, or 66% of totalo 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 staff60% 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 -2014 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!