Belizean Teachers Return From Finland Study Visit

A delegation of Belizean primary school educators has returned from Finland after completing a two-week professional study visit aimed at strengthening accelerated learning and foundational teaching skills within Belize’s education system.  The initiative forms part of a broader partnership between the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology and Finland’s Häme University of Applied Sciences, known as HAMK. Ten primary school teachers, accompanied by ministry representatives, participated in the intensive programme from May 4 to the 15th.  According to the Ministry of Education, the study visits focused on strengthening teachers’ competencies in inclusive pedagogy, differentiated instruction, and student-centered teaching approaches. During their time in Finland, the Belizean educators also visited pre-primary and primary schools to observe classroom practices and interact directly with Finnish teachers and education specialists.  The programme falls under the “Design and Implementation of Teacher Professional Development and Students’ Extracurricular Programs for Accelerated Learning in Foundational Skills” project, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank. The initiative is being implemented through a consortium involving HAMK and JAMK University of Applied Sciences in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.  Officials say the project is designed to build long-term capacity within Belize’s primary education sector by equipping local educators with practical strategies that can be adapted to Belize’s multicultural and evolving learning environment. The participating teachers are expected to serve as local facilitators who will coach and mentor more than five hundred teachers across the country.

One of the delegates, Christy Jean Almeida, described the experience as both inspiring and transformative, noting that the exposure to Finland’s inclusive and student-centered learning model provided valuable practical insights that can help improve learning outcomes for Belizean students