It's graduation season right now - but one special programme got our attention today. It's the Skills Training Programme - where 59 at-risk youths received instruction in barbering, information technology, office skills and sewing.
59 finished, but almost twice that number started. Today we spoke to two of the few and the proud:..
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
"These are 59 young people who if they had not gotten into this program we believe would have gotten into some other negative activity here in Belize City."
Enid Oshon, Instructor
"I call those 59 - our 100% success, why? I think our society has reached a point where they abandoned the young people and the family support is very lacking. The moral fabric has broken down, why? there is not much family time and for some reason parents don't seem to see the need of spending time of guiding and nurturing their young."
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
"A very important aspect of these programs like the apprenticeship program and this program is the life skills component where we try to encourage them to understand that there is more to life out here than just lingering around or hustling around or getting into negative activity - that they have a purpose here and that is for us very important."
Christopher Felix, IT Repair
"It has given to me a lot that would make an asset to my education to further on because before the six months all I knew how to do was to turn on a computer and turn it off. Now I know how to rebuild a computer and to manufacture one, so I thank the school for that. If I wasn't here, I would say that I would still be doing what I use to do."
Reporter
"Which is?"
Christopher Felix, IT Repair
"Which was being at home giving trouble."
Shanic Mendoza, barber-in-training
"I use to trim before I start the school, but I didn't know the professional way until I came to school and learn and got the training. Now I am better."
Reporter
"Where do you go from here now that you have finish the program?"
Shanic Mendoza, barber-in-training
"Well, the Minister is opening barber shops for us, so it is there that I will work now."
After this initial training, the youths go unto workplace placement.
