Preschool education in Belize, Central America.
Cook, Pamela R.
Introduction
Despite the convincing argument for the importance of early
childhood education world-wide, more than 200 million children under the
age of five and living in developing countries do not reach their
developmental potential (McGregor, McGregor, Cheung, Cueto, Glewwe,
Richter, Strupp, 2007). Early childhood educationalists have explored
over a decade and still ask the same questions regarding appropriate
health, growth, and development of young children (Cook, 2010). This may
be the explanation for the plight for extensive international early
learning research to be considered the challenge and focus of current
debates today (Abbott & Nutbrown, 2001).
Although curriculum reform of the international sense in early
childhood education is not new, much of the research in the field of
early learning either investigates or proposes the implementation of
current approaches and programs (Cook, 2010). This may be for the
limited amount of international early childhood research in developing
countries that favor developmentally appropriate strategies and
innovative early learning opportunities for healthy growth and
development of young children (Isabell, 2001).
Interestingly enough, Walker, Wachs, Gardner, Lozoff, Wasserman,
Pollitt, Carter (2007), summarized seven causal studies on the effects
of cognitive stimulation interventions from developing countries, and
found a significantly higher cognitive functioning in young children,
from birth to five years of age. The interventions included teaching
mothers several techniques for educational play including: utilizing
play materials, verbal stimulation, developing children's motor
skills, cognitive skills which may increase responsiveness. Most of the
effect sizes ranged from 0.5 SD to 1.0 SD. This study showed that only
10-41 percent of the parents provided cognitively stimulating materials
to their children, and only 11-33 percent of parents actively involved
their children in cognitively stimulating activities and, concluded
inadequate cognitive stimulation as one of the four developmental risk
factors (Walker, et. al., 2007).
Currently, early learning strategies and research studies that
focus on factors relating to a young child's individual differences
(Wardle, 2005), are simply influenced from several mechanisms (Martin
& Fabes, 2006), including: transferable skills of communication,
collaboration and investigation. These skills strengthen all aspects of
early learning through the utilization of traditional or non-traditional
theoretical frameworks of early childhood education and early learning
(Abbott, et al., 2001).
Moreover, the conquest for early childhood education and curriculum
reform in the developing world may have been considered a dilemma in the
past, as developmental scientists were mostly focused on areas that grew
out of the well-being for the basic concerns and needs of young children
(Schwebel, Plumert & Pick, 2000).
As it stands, from these theoretical viewpoints the contents of
this article will explore preschool educational viewpoints from the
perspectives of Belize, Central America. This information is based upon
areas of; Belizean Educational System, Challenges in Belizean Education,
Historical Significance of Belizean Education, Belizean Ministry of
Education, Abandonment, Institutionalization and the Rights of the
Child, Early Learning in Developing Countries, Conclusion and
Implications on Public Policy which may be utilized in the developing
world of early learning.
Belizean Educational System
Belize, like many developing countries in a post-colonial context,
has an educational system that is based upon the characterization of a
direct teacher format or structured traditional style of teaching
pedagogy (Cook, 2010). Schweinhart (1997) argued that a traditional
style of instructional approach is likely to discourage social and
emotional development, intellectual dispositions, and the creativity of
young children. A structured or teacher directed viewpoint of curricula
may also oppose to prior knowledge and hosts an array of concerns with
regard to the aspirations of peoples, cultures, and to be culturally
indifferent (Smith, 1999). Consequently, curriculum reform may not be
well suited to the socio-cultural context of early learning education in
a developing country (Cook, 2010). However, Freire (1993) considered,
Pedagogy of the City, calls for a reformation of curriculum, "A
school system that transforms the space where children, rich or poor,
are able to learn, to create, to take risks, to question, and to
grow." (p. 37)
The public compulsory traditional style of the educational system
in Belize consists primarily of the ages of children ranging from 5 to
14 years. The preschool education is considered kindergarten and
designated for children ages three and four. Upon the age of five, a
child enters into primary school for a total of eight years, which
include: Infant I and II, Standards and Forms I-IV. Those students who
are financially able to afford college may attend three or four years
depending on the type of study. Some students begin college at age 16,
which also depends on the success of the lower level achievements (G.
Price & S. Cruz, personal communication, April 16, 2007).
Challenges in Belizean Education
A few of the Belizean challenges involve the policy of providing an
education for all children of compulsory school-age which has not been
idle and offers an access to secondary, higher and further education has
expanded. However, these endeavors have not been without challenges of
various kinds (Ministry of Education-Belize, 2010).
Those challenges that have encountered Belize have included:
registration of children born in Belize, the designing of an education
policy that promotes inclusion of all children with disabilities into
the educational system. And, at most, to provide services for screening,
treating and rehabilitating of young children dealing with an array of
specific disabilities. There is also the need to strengthen the programs
with additional trained personnel and up-to-date informative resources
(Ministry of Education-Belize, 2010).
It is with extreme importance that Belize will take serious actions
in order to reach these goals by the year 2015, as formative evaluations
through agencies and organizations will show these goals attainable
(E.g. achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality,
empower women and reduce child mortality) and that status is fast
changing to unachievable (Ministry of Education-Belize, 2010).
None-the-less, the educational system of Belize continues to remain
a challenge and problematic due to frequent migration patterns and
educational policies that include free education to the end of secondary
school. For most Belizean families, the opportunity to attend primary
school and high school is unaffordable due to the high cost of
administration fees, books, uniforms, classroom materials and
excursions. Needless to say, due to the lack of school attendance
primarily constitutes a country wide low literacy rate of approximately
76 percent (State Report, 2010).
At this point, efforts are essential to address primary age
children who engage in commercial activities, domestic work, and
agricultural labour during school hours instead of attending public
school programs (State Report, 2010). The attendance of preschool age
children remains a continual low in the national coverage of 27.5
percent. The highest rate being 60.4 percent in 'Belize City',
with the lower rate of 2.7 percent in the southern 'Toledo'
District of Belize (UNICEF, 2006). The Child Activity Survey, 2001,
revealed 77.3 percent of children from ages 5 to 17 actually working.
(p. 28)
From these percentages there is an indication that approximately 18
percent school-age children have not attended school and are essentially
child labourers. The seriousness of this problem impacts schools through
the consistency of absenteeism, dropout rates which remains in the
category of the child labour issues. The International Child Advocacy
Organization (ICAO) warns that many Belizean children are forced to work
within the region and are exposed to toxic pesticides from working long
days (State Report, 2010). Inter Press Service News Agency (IPS) has
shown that approximately 8,582 children were child labourers (UNICEF,
2006). In addition, most Belizean children in this case, are at high
risks of traffic accidents, abuse, and mistreatment (UNICEF, 2006; IPS,
2006). Maria Conde, UNICEF addresses the issue, "This situation is
extremely dangerous for the region, and due to the rights of dignified
development and health towards these children are being violated"
(UNICEF, 2006, p. 28).
Several of the Caribbean countries have made numerous strides
toward these continued improvements of preschool education as
specifically, Belize. The Belizean government considers taking on the
best interest of young children through the support of: The National
Committee for Families and Children (NCFC). This organization has been
developed and established in recognition of the, International Year of
the Family, which was launched in 1994, as an advisory body to govern
family and children's issues (NCFC, 2002). Belize attended the,
United Nations General Assembly, Special Session on Children in May,
2002, and joined the international community in pledging support for the
new Global Plan of Action, A World Fit for Children (NCFC, 2002). In
addition, UNICEF provided two programs for major interventions in Belize
(NCFC, 2002; UNICEF, 2006).
The first program; The Enhancing Holistic Child Development
Programme, directs an emphasis on children ages zero to six-years of
age. This will focus on legislation and policies to place an impact on
the development of curricula for early learning childcare centres. This
program encompasses parenting education and the promotion of male
involvement within childcare. The program also enables an establishment
of a community-based nationwide initiative to prevent domestic violence
(NCFC, 2002; UNICEF, 2006).
The second program; The Enabling Environments for Adolescent
Development Program, facilitates the development of individual
environments. In 1986, over 2,000 cases of HIV/AIDS were detected in
Belize, and have since been confirmed (NCFC, 2002; UNICEF, 2006).
Approximately 150 percent of the young children are infected by HIV/AIDS
and are less than one year of age, with a percentage of HIV-positive
mothers which represent single mothers (NCFC, 2002; UNICEF, 2006). It
was also discovered that Belize and Honduras have one of the highest
prevalence's of the HIV infection and the largest number of AIDS
cases in Central America (Stansbury & Sierra, 2004). The Adolescent
Development program supports the adolescent participation of health and
has related educational projects including: reproductive health that
relates to teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS (NCFC, 2002; UNICEF, 2006).
The Ministry of Education and Health has also administered awareness
thru parent education workshops and poster and pamphlet distributions
along with acceptable regional standards and new infant curriculum
(Ministry of Education-Belize, 2010).
Historical Significance of Belizean Education
The goal of providing education for children in Belize was
commenced in the first two decades of the nineteenth century through a
partnership between the political authority; a very small British
settlement and Christian missionaries. By the end of the century, a
legally established partnership between church and state enabled primary
and elementary schools to be opened in the districts of the fully
constituted British Crown Colony. A very small number of private
secondary schools were also opened. In the first two decades of the
twentieth century, compulsory schooling became law and the policy to
provide basic education for all the children within the compulsory
school ages between six years to fourteen years was adopted by the
colonial government and carried out throughout the colonial period and
into the present era, independent Belize (EFA, 2000).
This level of education began to take off in the 1970s through
interventions by the Belizean Government, the Extra Mural Department of
the University of the West Indies and UNICEF (UNICEF, 2012). The
interventions embraced the physical care of children from the prenatal
stage of existence through the preschool years and thereafter during the
earliest of primary school. The (MoE) was not expected to carry out such
a broad area of responsibility alone as the Ministry of Health (MoH)
began to provide prenatal and post-natal clinics for mothers to ensure
that unborn and newly born infants have the chance for survival (EFA,
2000).
Interestingly enough, early childhood care was designated to
involve more than schooling. The preschool education level (between 3
and 5 years) grew rather slowly and was based largely on an old
fashioned view of teaching the 3-year-olds children as a preparation for
primary school. It was a wholly private effort and was confined to a
very small number of kindergartens (EFA, 2000).
Today the Early Childhood Education Developmental Centre (ECEDC), a
significant piece to the Ministry of Education is an agency through
which up-to-date ideas and practices are implemented. The overall public
policy is to give support to the private and community efforts and to
provide early childhood care and development. With regard to preschool
education, the goals and objectives remain very similar to what they
were at the beginning of the EFA Decade. The goals and objectives at
that point were as follows (EFA, 2000).
Goals:
to develop appropriate learning abilities and skills and confidence
of young children as a foundation for further personal and
socio-emotional growth; to contribute to every aspect of their lives,
including parental care and their formal education (EFA, 2000, p. 2).
Objectives:
to establish, expand and refurbish pre-school centres; to increase
the percentage of children 3-5 years attending pre-school centres; to
establish an early childhood education resource centre; to improve the
preparation of persons involved in pre-school education; to promote
early childhood development and care as a community effort (EFA, 2000,
p. 2).
It has been designated through the Ministry of Education that
ECEDC, will be strengthened through several perspectives. First, to
provide technical assistance and trainings to persons engaged in early
childhood education programs country-wide, while providing support for
parents to stimulate children as early as possible in home environments.
Secondly, to develop poverty alleviation programs to assist preschool
age children living in these conditions and third to provide a framework
for integrated activities in deprived neighborhoods that offer
comprehensive services to children and their families (Ministry of
Education-Belize, 2010).
The Belizean Ministry of Education
The Belizean Ministry of Education (MoE) continues to be strongly
involved with the progress of preschool education, as the Ministry
essentially coordinates and develops the policy of addressing all
preschools throughout the country. The Ministry supervises the
activities of preschool centres countrywide which monitors and ensures
preschool centres to comply within the licensing requirements of the,
'Education for All (EFA), 2000' rules (EFA, 2000).
To ensure the quality of early childhood education, Belize
continues to improve and support preschool educational attendances and
the conditions. The (MoE) of Belize has indicated there has been much
progress made toward the improvement of preschool education. These
strides include: renaming the Ministry of Education Preschool Unit and
upgrading to the, Early Childhood Education and Development Centre
(ECEDC).
In distinguishing these strides, there have been 7 newly trained
early childhood education coordinators employed to manage each of the
major districts of Belize (Ministry of Education-Belize, 2010). There
are also an increased number of new preschool sites developed in several
Belizean districts through-out the country as shown in table III. In
addition, there has been an increase of the number of paid preschool
teachers of approximately 21 to 314, an increased number of mentoring of
preschool activities, additional new increases of additional assistance
and intervention for teachers and an extreme increased number of
enrolment of preschool children from 3100 to 8, 543 in the past five
years as seen in tables I and II (Ministry of Education-Belize, 2010).
The (MoE) continues to be in contact with the University of Belize
and other educational institutions and organizations while analyzing
research to make educated recommendations that relate to and access the
coverage of early childhood education countrywide. The (MoE) strengthens
the local, regional, national and international partnerships which
address early childhood educational care and development (EFA, 2000).
One of the most recent research studies was conducted by, Dr.
Alberto L. August, professor of early childhood education from the,
University of Belize. The study was a model that involved, 'Testing
Early Literacy & Learning Model' (ELLM). This particular model
in early childhood literacy received a grant for the period of 2010-2014
(Ministry of Education-Belize, 2010). The Research grant was intended to
assist the Ministry of Education and Early Childhood Education
Developmental Programs thrust for improving the status of preschool
literacy in Belize. Topics of the grant included: attachments,
standardization, individual accommodation, physical environment, health
and safety, teacher-child interactions and developmentally appropriate
practices (Ministry of Education-Belize, 2010).
A few of the results from the (ELLM) study were indicated as: most
of the children in need of preschool education were living in urban
areas and Belize City. More preschools were needed on the rural areas of
Belizean Districts. There is a greater need for support of those
children that have encountered 'special challenges' to access
preschool and primary school with materials needed to accommodate and
train teachers. There needs to be preschool, infant I to standard II
teachers trained on the associate degree level to increase the
percentage of trained teachers to 70 percent, as there are only 10
percent teachers currently at the associate degree level. From these
results, Table IV indicates a stair-step version of needs to improve
early childhood education in Belize (Ministry of Education-Belize,
2010).
[TABLE IV OMITTED]
As these improvements continue to make progress in the field of
early childhood education with regards to preschool education, it is
essential for the Belizean community to make every effort to provide and
support opportunities for young children and families with respect to
the issues of abandonment, institutionalization and the rights of the
child.
Abandonment, Institutionalization and the Rights of the Child
Abandonment
A large number of children are abandoned every year due to massive
socio-economic pressures around the world and within the developing
world that present specific or unique challenges (Taneja, Beri, &
Puliyel, 2004). S. Cho (2005) claimed, "Funding and adequate
resources lack in developing countries" (Para. 4). Ensalaco and
Majka (2005) agreed this issue is problematic worldwide, "The
neediest states, even when they act in good faith, lack adequate
resources to ensure that institutions, services, facilities, and staff
are available to children and families" (p. 16). Increasingly,
abandonment occurs, "... in a "developed" country, as in
countries that are impoverished or war-torn" (Arnold, 2000, p.10).
Executive director of the United Nations International
Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) noted, "The world is
squandering human potential on a massive scale as hundreds of millions
of the world's youngest citizens flounder in poverty and neglect in
their first years of life" (Bellamy, 2000). According to UNICEF,
Belize, Central America is said to have an approximate population size
of approximately 330,000 peoples; estimating 48.3 percent are under the
age of 18 (UNICEF, 2006; UNICEF, 2012). The alternative Non-Governmental
Organisation (NGO) of Belize, reported 39 percent Belizean children
currently living below the poverty line. Impoverishment continues to be
extensive, persistent and widespread throughout Belize and neighbouring
Central American countries (Liberty Foundation, 2006; UNICEF, 2006).
Institutionalization
Current research (Johnson, Browne, Hamilton-Giachritsis, 2006)
qualifies the risk of institutionalized care in the result of limited
opportunities to form selective attachments compared to children placed
within family-based care. This may occur where there are large numbers
of children and small numbers of staff as well as, a lack of
inconsistent care through shift schedules and staff rotation. Johnson
(et al., 2006) believed that even, "Good institutionalized care can
have detrimental effects on a child's ability to form relationships
later in life". (p. 35)
The international community continues to explore alternative
strategies including: adoption and foster care as, "Human rights of
children in residential care are supported through the development of
family-based alternatives" (Johnson et al., 2006, p. 57). Johnson
(et al., 2006) supported these efforts, "Rehabilitating children to
their families of origin must be adequately supported and
monitored". (p. 57)
Belizean records indicate that two out of every five children do
not have basic food and non-food item needs met (State Report, 2010).
Past research suggests that young children who are hungry will perform
poorly in diverse learning situations (Morrison, 2004). Abraham
Maslow's (18901970), Hierarchy of Needs theory and framework
designates that basic needs must be satisfied before higher levels can
be fulfilled (Maslow, 1970). Consequently, brain research shows that
nutritious food and water are essential for proper functioning of
healthy brain development (Morrison, 2004). Early childhood
educationalists and neurologists have agreed the first eight years are a
critical time for healthy brain development of young children (Isabell,
2001). Studies (Taneja et al., 2004) have shown that children who reside
in orphanages are likely to have developmental delays due to poor
stimulation and inappropriate learning experiences (p. 21). Rosenblith
(1992) suggested the development of deprived children will improve
dramatically once the environment becomes more stimulating. Martin and
Fabes (2006) concur that environmental factors influences the stimulus
that affects the developmental process. Rogoff and colleagues (1993)
supported, "To understand development is in the context of
children's everyday activities and culturally valued goals of
development". (p. 9) Isabell (2001) suggested, "Appropriate
and interesting experiences during the early years can have a positive
impact on a child's current development, as well as, brain
connections that will last a lifetime". (p. 21)
Children's Rights
At the, Rights of the Child, March 1990, Belize became the fifth
country in the world to ratify at the United Nations Convention. As
signatory to the Convention, Belize committed itself to upholding 54
articles including: protection of children; provision for their basic
needs; and ensuring their full participation in all decisions and
discussions affecting them depending on their age and abilities (NCFC,
2002). This commitment demonstrates numerous strides in solving current
problematic issues regarding children's rights. None-the-less, it
has been estimated by 2012; the number of children orphaned will likely
increase from five to six percent for young children in Belize, Central
America (UNICEF, 2012). This issue causes concern as educators,
NG0's and researchers of developing countries regarding the healthy
growth and development for all young children.
Carol Bellamy, executive Director of UNICEF (2000) supported this
concern and speaks on behalf of young children,
The state of the world's youngest children, citizens with the same
rights as all others, is not nearly as good as it should be ... it
will only get better when we alter current priorities and accept
the sound economic, social and political sense it makes to
prioritize the world's youngest. (Bellamy, 2000)
Valentine's (2001) viewpoint expressed, "A child who is
valued, is a child who has a right" (p. 1). S. Cho (2005) agreed
and commented, "Researchers and authors make efforts to discuss how
children's rights are not the priority, but where the value of
children are placed is rarely mentioned" (Para. 1, p. 162). Young
children living in Reggio Emilia, Italy, have a fundamental right to
realize and expand their potential. Reggio Children's, The Charter
of Rights declares the rights of a child are:
Children have the right to be recognised as subjects of individual,
legal, civil, and social rights; as both source and constructors of
their own experience, and thus active participants in the
organisation of their identities, abilities, and autonomy, through
relationships and interaction with their peers, with adults, with
ideas, with objects and with the real and imaginary events of
inter-communicating worlds. (Quoted in Valentine, 2001, Journey in
the Rights of Children, 1996, p. 4)
Early Learning in Developing Countries
There are many developing countries that have chosen to promote
early learning. Bellamy (2000), from UNICEF, supported that a child has
rights and agreed that an investment in the development and care of
young children is the most fundamental form of good leadership.
According to The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO) informed, "Countries are launching various
efforts to meet their global commitment to the development of care and
educational services for young children". (UNESCO, 2003, p. 3)
Current research and Non-Government Organizations (NGO) are
representing rapid growth toward successful early learning within
developing countries. These countries have chosen different ways to
address educational learning and health related issues regarding early
childhood education. In 1990, at the United Nations, Jomtien Conference
and Declaration declared, "Learning begins at birth", has
essentially embraced Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) to
improve quality of early learning. Ten years later, the world community
renewed the commitment to ECCE in the Dakar Framework for Action,
organization to expand, to improve, and to ensure the equity in ECCE
(ECCE, 2006). Rogoff (1993) supported, "Each culture has its own
system of norms and values in which development and interactions of
children evolve". (p. 162)
Interested in early childhood education, those developing countries
include: Brazil, China, Egypt, Indonesia and Pakistan have implemented
pre-primary national curricula for early education and learning.
Bangladesh offers pedagogical guidelines that are meant to emphasize a
child's holistic approach to child development (UNESCO, 2012) and
early education. Therefore, constant efforts to improve early education
and health of young children have become evident from countries such as:
Jamaica, Mexico, Ethiopia, Kenya, Belize, Brazil, China, Egypt,
Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh (Levine, 2005). These countries and
many others are all examples of some of the efforts demonstrated toward
a greater advocacy on behalf of early childhood education.
Latin America is the developing region that has made the most
progress in early childhood education, although improvements have been
uneven, says the new global monitoring report on Education for All (EFA)
2007. Latin America and the Caribbean is the developing region with the
highest rate of preschool enrollment at 62 percent, ahead of East Asia
and the Pacific at 35 percent, south and West Asia at 32 percent, the
Arab states at 16 percent and sub-Saharan Africa at 12 percent (Estrada,
2007).
Conclusion
As addressed in this chapter of early childhood education and
international preschool education of the developing world and
predominately Belizean preschool education, it is evident there
continues to be a movement forward toward making a difference in early
childhood education. Cooper, (2004) suggested, "It is only by
raising the awareness and radically altering the contexts from where
genuine care takes place that will improve the personal, social, moral
and academic development for the future of children" (p. 21). It
has been addressed that Belize and several countries demonstrate an
effort to showcase great strides toward establishing their own
approaches and form of early childhood educational learning and system.
Future early Childhood Education plans in Belize are basically to:
revisit the preschool curriculum to create a linkage between the
Preschool Education and Infant I. There also plans in place to conduct
in-country, early childhood education conferences to assist with
training and professional development of preschool teachers. The goals
are to construct at least one model of a preschool centre in specific
areas of the Belizean Districts. It important to develop packets of
informational tool kits for parents pertaining to healthy growth and
development of young children. There is also the implementation of
public awareness and devise a campaign on behalf of early childhood
education and learning (Ministry of Education-Belize, 2010).
Implications for Public Policy
Early learning programs that exchange diverse methodologies of
different ways of knowing, in diverse cultures may essentially learn to
transform early childhood education and early learning experiences for
young children in the developing world (Cook, 2010). Rogoff (1993) has
suggested, "Each culture has its own system of norms and values in
which development and interactions of children evolve". (p. 162)
It is interesting to note, that Belize, a developing country and
supporter of early childhood education continues to take on the
epistemological stance and explore new ways to discover appropriate
approaches for their educational and environmental settings. It is also
encouraging to acknowledge the results of those strides and improvements
based primarily on behalf of early learning and preschool education
initiatives which has evolved from a wide variety of diverse ideologies
(Cook, 2009).
We have much to learn from developing countries in the areas of
educational and international early learning. It is also encouraging yet
in another part of the world; the country of New Zealand's culture
sets a high priority for the entire developing world by their sense of
advocacy and strong supporter of international, early education. Let us
remember the indigenous cultures as the, 'Maori' children who
have said, "The bird that eats only the fruits of the
forest--theirs will be the forest. The bird that eats the fruits of
education--theirs will be the world". (Codrington, 2004, p. 187)
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Table I
Trend of New Preschools
2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10
Corozal 8 7 3 2
Orange Walk 2 4 3 3
Belize City 2 3 2 3
Cayo 5 5 3 3
Stann Creek 0 4 1 2
Toledo 7 1 5 2
Total per year 24 24 17 15
2010/11 2011/12
Corozal 0 2
Orange Walk 0 2
Belize City 2 2
Cayo 2 2
Stann Creek 0 3
Toledo 2 1
Total per year 6 12
Total New Centers--98
Total Number of Preschools--209
Source: Ministries of Education, Belize (2010).
Table II
Present Preschool Enrollment
District Boys Girls Total
Corozal 431 415 846
Orange Walk 388 392 780
Belize City 1346 1305 2651
Cayo 575 605 1180
Stann Creek 475 439 914
Toledo 307 315 622
Source: Ministries of Education, Belize (2010).
Table III
Preschool Centre Distribution
District Private Denominational Government
Corozal 3 20 10
Orange Walk 3 14 6
Belize City 24 16 12
Cayo 11 14 11
Stann Creek 5 22 4
Toledo 3 18 3
District Organizational
Corozal 0
Orange Walk 0
Belize City 5
Cayo 2
Stann Creek 0
Toledo 0
Source: Ministries of Education, Belize (2010).
