MoECST and BNTU Renew Partnership in Joint Statement

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology (MoECST) and the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) have renwed their shared commitment to strengthening Belize’s education system following a meeting held on Thursday, December 4. The discussions concluded with the signing of a joint statement focused on improving teacher welfare, professional development, and working conditions for educators nationwide.

According to the statement, the Ministry remains steadfast in safeguarding the rights and well-being of all educators. Both MoECST and the BNTU underscored the importance of continuous professional development, transparent processes, and genuine collaboration as essential components of a strong and effective education system. Their shared goal is to create an environment that better serves students, teachers, parents, and administrators while supporting national development.

As part of the agreement, MoECST and the BNTU outlined several areas of joint action. These include advancing work on Head of Department allowances and continuing professional development requirements for teacher licensing; streamlining the Teacher Transfer Grant approval process; creating a temporary cross-level licensing pathway; and embedding teacher welfare programs in the Education Sector Plan 2026–2030.

Both parties also committed to formalising payments for teachers who cover additional credit hours, launching a digital platform to address teacher concerns, ensuring access to benefits and allowances for all eligible educators, and exploring Early Childhood Education Programs in partnership with Walden University.

The Ministry emphasized its commitment to ongoing dialogue and collaboration. To ensure accountability and track progress on these commitments, MoECST and its partners will hold quarterly follow-up sessions, or more frequent meetings if necessary.