Belize Education Upliftment Project

The Belize Education Upliftment Project is a comprehensive education initiative that eliminates tuition and fees for students at EUp schools. In addition to the provision of tuition and fees, the project provides support for daily healthy meals, uniforms, transportation, learning device needs and improvement to school infrastructure and resources.

EUp is a COMPREHENSIVE approach to education.

From providing healthy meals to promote proper nutrition and combat against hunger in schools to providing uniforms for students who are not able to purchase uniforms on their own, EUp ensures that barriers to education are removed or reduced for all students!

EUp Schools

During the initial phase of this initiative, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology focused on all four government-owned secondary schools in southside Belize City: Gwen Lizarraga High School, Excelsior High School, Maud Williams High School, and Sadie Vernon Technical High School. These schools commenced the project at the beginning of the 2022/23 academic year.

At the onset of the 2023/24 academic year, the Ministry expanded the project to encompass five more secondary schools located in the southern region of the country: Corazon Creek Technical High School, Toledo Community College, Georgetown Technical High School, Delile Academy, and the Agriculture and Natural Resources Institute (ANRI).

Starting in August 2024, the Ministry is planning the biggest expansion of the project to date. This expansion will include an additional twelve secondary schools from all across the country. These schools are Belize Rural High School, Ladyville Technical High School, San Pedro High School, Belmopan Comprehensive School, Mopan Technical High School, Valley of Peace SDA Academy, Chunox St. Viator Vocational School, Escuela Secundaria Técnica México, Belize High School of Agriculture, Orange Walk Technical High School, Bella Vista Government Secondary School, and Julian Cho Technical High School.

By the commencement of the 2024/25 academic year, EUp is expected to impact close to 50% of the secondary school population, with two of the largest secondary institutions in the country, Belmopan Comprehensive and Julian Cho Technical High Schools, being part of the initiative. Notably, the inclusion of Julian Cho Technical High School ensures that all secondary school students in the Toledo District are included in the project and will benefit from free education.

GEMS

Gwen Lizarraga High School,
Excelsior High School,
Maud Williams High School &
Sadie Vernon High School
are the four targeted schools for EUp:

FAQ's

Does EUp apply to all levels of education at a recipient school?

Yes, the Belize Education Upliftment Project impacts all levels of education at the recipient school. All students benefit from healthy meals, uniforms, transportation and the elimination of tuition and fees.

My child is enrolled in an EUp school but has not received an electronic device yet. Why?

Our commitment, as outlined in PlanBelize, is to furnish every student from Standard 4 to Form 4 with an electronic device. The Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology, remains steadfast in its efforts to fulfil this objective. Last year, a generous donation of 5,000 Chromebooks from the Republic of China (Taiwan) enabled us to equip 15% of students within these levels with learning devices. The Ministry continues to collaborate with other government ministries and partners to secure additional learning devices to ensure our commitment is 100% honoured.

Can I transfer my child to an EUp school?

Accordion ContentEach E-UP school has established its own set of policies and guidelines regarding enrolment and transfers. As long as your child fulfils the requirements of the receiving school’s policies, he or she can enrol and benefit from the project.

Why are only secondary schools benefitting from EUp?

Based on the most recent available data, only 72% of primary school graduates proceed to secondary education. This disparity has far-reaching negative implications for our nation. Young people who do not attain secondary education face limitations in accessing employment opportunities, often ending up with low-paying or unskilled positions. Consequently, this contributes to the prevalence of a low-skilled workforce in Belize. This is, in part, why, in early 2024, the Government enacted legislation to raise the compulsory education age from 14 to 16. EUp specifically targets secondary schools with the aim of encouraging more youths to seize the opportunity for higher education, thereby supporting our efforts to ensure prolonged school attendance among the youth population and, ultimately, building a better educated, better qualified workforce.