Proposals were made in 2021 for the refurbishment of Stann Creek's ITVET in an attempt to not only improve the school's infrastructure but also increase enrollment and graduates from the institution. It took an investment of 1.4 million dollars and almost 5 years later, but now the school is fully functional once more thanks to a project made possible by SIF in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held today and here are the highlights from that event.
Gwendolyn Garcia Martinez, Manager - Stann Creek ITVET
"We have come a long way, I have to say that, and before I even go further in explaining how we started, I have to give gratitude gratitude is a must to our Area Representative Dr. Louis Zabaneh, to Ministry of Education, the Government of Belize, and of course SIF and CDB. This project started almost 4 years ago. It has been a whirlwind, but we are here and we are thankful for all that we have gotten, that we will be transforming the lives of the persons who live in the south."
Gwendolyn Garcia Martinez
"We got a total refurbishment the leaky roofs, computer lab, the kitchen, everything was refurbished, and it was much needed because now we could better serve our trainees starting all the way from Bella Vista and even further south. Persons who will be coming here to train to get their skills because we do go by our motto, 'skills pays bill.'"
Dr. Hon. Louis Zabaneh, Area Representative
"We found this place quite in need where we had very low enrollment, very little attention being paid to the needs of this area of the south, and fortunately we were able to put together a very good team with our chairman and the manager and all the staff that have been employed here to serve our people. So from a low of less than 50 students, we have had graduations of over 200 in recent years, and I have just been told that the applications are quite high for this coming year, so we are really, really pleased that the investment, 1.4 million dollars that has been made here, makes a big difference. We see from the tour that now all the classrooms, the offices, the laboratories now are in good condition. One of the big problems with leaky roofs has been addressed, and so these things will go a long way to ensure that we can do a good job at serving our community and the students who are going to be coming here for this very important training in technical and vocational education."
