After a one week delay caused by the Hurricane Felix scare, today was the first day of school for 64,000 primary school students countrywide. Government promised that those students would to go to school and receive free textbooks but today most of them didn't. The reason they got no books is because the $6.5 million in textbooks bought by the Ministry of Education have not been distributed as yet. Keith Swift tried to find out why.
Keith SwiftReporting,
On their first day back at school, students in this infant two class at Queen's Square Anglican School and this standard 5 class at Holy Redeemer Primary School didn't have their textbooks. Ersella Griffith is the Principal at Queen's Square Anglican.
Ersella Griffith, Principal - Queen's Square Anglican School
"All the students haven't gotten all their books yet. We have about a half of the amount of books we should have for the entire school."
Keith Swift,
Will this in anyway affect your students?
Ersella Griffith,
"Well not necessarily for this week because the first week, we use the time to familiarize or reacquaint the students with the school rules."
The largest primary school in the city is Holy Redeemer and Principal Molly
Heulett says she also hasn't gotten the books for her 1200 students.
Molly Heulett, Principal - Holy Redeemer Primary School
"We got a few books. There are still some classes with only one or two. We got a few books."
Keith Swift,
Have you been told when you'll get the books?
Molly Heulett,
"No we are not sure. We have been here over the holidays and we got like two days that they delivered to us. We are not sure when we'll get the others."
Both school managers - Clement Wade for Catholic Schools and Carol Babb for Anglican schools say they've been assured by the Ministry of Education that the books will be delivered.
Carol Babb, General Manager - Anglican Schools
"My assistant called the Anglican Schools this morning and most of them, all of them have received some of the books and we were informed by the Deputy Chief Education Officer that the other books will be delivered this evening and definitely by the end of the week all books will be in the schools. It will definitely not affect them because the textbooks are generally for practice. It is just the beginning of a brand new school year. There are lots of things the teachers need to do other than using the textbooks at this moment."
Keith Swift,
Has the Ministry explained the reason for the delay?
Carol Babb,
"Well they told us on the account of the hurricane that some of the books were shipped out of the city or something like that but the books will be here by the end of the week."
Clemente Wade, General Manager - Catholic Schools
"I was made to understand that most of the textbooks are in school
except for a science series that came in a little late by shipment and that is supposed to be delivered to all Belize City schools by this afternoon."
Keith Swift,
So all the students in all your schools got their books?
Clemente Wade,
"According to the Chief. I have not gone out and verified this but according to the Deputy Chief (Education Officer) yes, all schools should have had their textbooks by now."
But they haven't - at least not at Holy Redeemer. Lydia Alpuche Blake has two children attending Holy Redeemer. She was concerned and irate this afternoon because her children didn't get all their books.
Lydia Alpuche Blake, Parent
"I am concerned because I am a mother. It is good that the government said they would give free books but for me I am a working mother and I can buy my stuff for my kids and when it is free, its never good and we were waiting for this. Now I hear that the kids will have to be sharing books and that will distract the kids in their work.
There are parents, a lot of parents out there that can't afford and they have more than two or three kids and it is expensive but there are also parents that are very concerned about their kids; they are working and would rather buy the books for their kids and make sure their kids have the actual material and proper material to work with when school starts.
Parents that are in there with their kids want the best for their kids and the government must ensure that if they have a promise that they want to do a political tactic, that they want to give free books - let them fulfill their promise and give it. We were not asking, they provided it for us so now let them do it and give it us."
And once they do get the books - all parents will have to sign this contract. It's basically a lease for the books - meaning that if your child loses or damages a book you, the parent, will have to pay for it.
We were unable to reach anyone from the Ministry of Education for comment.
