The Ministry of E-Governance, along with the Robotics Federation of Belize and VEX Robotics have launched a new initiative to develop the study of robotics in Belize. Today they signed an MOU that will help high school students build their digital skills. Courtney Menzies was there and has this story.
Belize has become the first country in the world to recognize robotics as a sport, and now the newly formed Belize Robotics Federation has signed an MOU with the Ministry of E-Governance to bring this sport to high school students.
The CEO as well as the PM - who doubles as the minister - explained their vision for robotics in Belize.
Jose Urbina, CEO, Ministry of E-Governance
"It really accentuates the importance of innovation and how we build that capacity in country at all levels. Our vision is to ensure that this MOU serves as a foundation to introduce robotics from primary school all the way to tertiary education cause we strongly believe that the future of tomorrow will require everyone to know some coding, some details as it relates to mechanical engineering and so. So for us it is fundamental that we build that gap related to the digital technologies that currently exist and will exist in the future."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"It's about signing a contract with the future of Belize. When we launched Plan Belzie 2.0 we made a promise and that promise was to build a Belize that works for everyone and we committed to this big push for education and modern economy and this MOU is a direct manifestation of that promise. We are making sure that digital transformation is a reality, that it can become a reality for everybody."
And some schools - like BHS - are already ahead of the game. But as Urbina explained, the goal is to get all other schools to that level.
Jose Urbina, CEO, Ministry of E-Governance
"We use Belize High School as a measuring stick, as the benchmark, where we want all other high schools to reach. I would also say that Orange Walk Technical High School has introduced it at the high school level but again the level is not what we want and we are here as a ministry to push and create that momentum to enhance the level not only within Orange Walk Town but across the length and breadth of our country."
And they're also getting international help with VEX Robotics - who was also a part of today's MOU signing. The president of the federation, Jamie Usher, explained how that collaboration will work.
Jamie Usher, President, Belize Robotics Federation
"The federation is working as a training a partner with the Ministry of E-Governance. The Ministry of E-Governance has 14 digital connect centers so we will be sharing our training capacity, they will be providing the robots and then hopefully the schools in the digital connect center vicinities, communities will be sending folks over to learn. So weekends we will be moving around the country, training different champions to then impart it as a ripple effect to learn about VEX platforms through educational application, CTE work cells, competition bots, all of the fun things you saw here today."
"What we do want to do is be able to eventually work with the Ministry of Education but also with Ministry of Labor to be able to translate our skills into a workforce skills transcript so there are a lot of students that get things in another way outside of the traditional academic platforms. So what we want to be able to do is to be able to facilitate all our participants with a transcript that shows what skills they are able to do that way when they do apply for a job they could have an additional transcript that speaks to what they can do."
Jose Urbina, CEO, Ministry of E-Governance
"The collaboration with them is to really use them as the foundation, possible suppliers of equipment and as I mentioned, they're structure is unique in a way that they don't only provide the robotic kits but they also provide the robotic syllabus that needs to be followed to enhance the skillset in the country and to also enhance and to really align the vision we have of train the trainer program that we will be supporting the Belize Robotics Federation with."
Usher explained that for now, the program - which is free of cost - is targeting students ages 12 to 18.
