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Belize is earning regional recognition for its leadership in STEM education after showcasing its Robotics as a Sport initiative at the inaugural Caribbean SEED Summit 2026, held on June 25 to 27 at the Accra Beach Hotel in Rockley, Barbados. The summit brought together policymakers, educators, researchers and investors from across the Caribbean to explore how science, technology, engineering and mathematics can drive economic growth. Belize was represented by Jamie Lee Usher, Vice Principal of Student Affairs at Saint Catherine Academy and President of the Belize Robotics Federation. Speaking with Love News, Usher says Belize’s approach to robotics is helping position the country as a leader in STEM education and innovation.
Jamie Lee Usher, President, Belize Robotics Foundation: “We are excited for Belize because we are really changing the way robotics has been seen. So technology is growing so fast that we need to be able to equip our students with skills that actually contribute to nation building and regional integration. So robotics as a sport was an important step because Belize was the first country to declare robotics as sport, giving authentication to the discipline, the dedication, the communication skills and the teamwork that it takes to create a robot. The other delegates were very excited because while robotics is part of a STEM pathway not all STEM pathways lead to robotics. So there are so many entry points for robotics. So part of the reception included excitement, intrigue, and there’s a lot of successful stories that have been demonstrated by various robotics programs. And so we were well received and the Minister of MIST in Barbados for Innovation, Science and Technology in Barbados, Jonathan Reid was a part of the summit and he’s very excited to have Barbados join the campaign.”
Regional leaders also discussed the need to strengthen STEM education through greater collaboration between governments, schools and industry. Belize used the opportunity to share its experience with robotics education and encourage other Caribbean countries to consider similar approaches to developing future workforce skills. According to Usher, the team is anticipating greater success as it continues to be recognized beyond our borders.
Jamie Lee Usher, President, Belize Robotics Foundation: “Well, as a practitioner still in the classroom for education and as the Robotics Federation, my colleagues and I want to continue to work in terms of building skills connected to robotics. And so we are working with the Ministry of E-governance to get teachers trained, to have school principals integrate robotics into the curriculum to get academic learning enhanced through robotics. I hope that Belizeans are excited about everything that robotics and technology and STEM education can do for Belize, but it’s important that we see ourselves as part of the Caribbean and that we see our students as future coders, builders, innovators, engineers that will solve our problems as a community. It’s important that we not work in isolation or in pockets, but that we learn to collaborate and develop a real atmosphere of working together, making each other better, but actually improving our life. My colleagues and I, Mr. Godfrey Sosa Junior, and Mr. Louis Silva, are excited that we are not just creating consumers of technology, but we are creating future innovators who will be a part of designing the technology tools that we actually use. So we are looking to encourage our Belizean talents, our Belizean creativity. We all appreciate the Belizean innovativeness, and so we really want to champion all of the innate skills that our students have to offer.”
Belize’s robotics programme continues to receive support from the Government of Belize through the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of E-Governance, along with education partners, including Saint Catherine Academy. The three-day Caribbean SEED Summit concluded with renewed commitments to regional collaboration in science, technology and innovation.
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