Belize Education Minister Francis Fonseca Introduces New Education and TVET Bills

Belize’s Minister of Education, Francis Fonseca, tabled two major pieces of legislation aimed at overhauling the country’s education framework. The Education Bill seeks to replace the outdated Education and Training Act, aligning the legal basis with recent reforms such as the Education Upliftment Project, free tuition, a national feeding programme, expanded Wi‑Fi access in schools, a competency‑based curriculum and a new national assessment system.

In the same session, Fonseca introduced the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Bill 2026. The bill creates an autonomous, industry‑led national training authority governed by a 13‑member board that includes government, private sector, labour unions and the National Accreditation Council. It establishes sector‑skills councils to match training with labour‑market demand, introduces a portable qualification framework linked to the Caribbean Vocational Qualification, and modernises the legal structure for technical and vocational education.

Both bills are presented as companion legislation intended to modernise Belize’s education system, improve workforce readiness and support the country’s economic development goals.