As Belize prepares for the 2026 academic year, 57 talented local students have been awarded comprehensive Digi Scholarships from telecommunications provider BTL, removing financial barriers and creating long-term opportunities for young people across the country. Of the 2026 cohort, 40 recipients are entering high school, while 17 are moving on to junior college, marking a significant expansion of a program that has supported Belizean education for more than three decades.
Unlike many traditional scholarships that only cover tuition costs, the Digi award includes full coverage for textbooks, required school supplies, residential internet access, and ongoing one-on-one mentorship to help students stay enrolled and meet their academic goals. For recipients like Silverio Hernandez, a soon-to-be freshman at Muffles, the support represents far more than financial aid—it is a life-changing opportunity to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming an attorney, even amid significant personal and economic challenges.
As a single-mother household, Hernandez’s family has struggled to keep up with rising education costs amid Belize’s ongoing economic pressures. For Hernandez, the scholarship eliminates the constant stress of covering expensive school bills, allowing him to redirect all his energy to his studies. His mother, Cyndy Hernandez, described the award as a miracle, noting that the financial relief could not have come at a more critical time for their family.
Ramon Cervantes Jr., Belize’s Minister of State for Education, Science and Technology, praised the public-private partnership behind the Digi Scholarship program, emphasizing that collaborations between corporate stakeholders and government are key to advancing the national goal of universal accessible education for all Belizean children. Cervantes congratulated the 2026 recipients on their hard-earned awards and encouraged them to push forward to reach their full potential.
For BTL, the program serves a dual purpose: investing in Belize’s future leaders while building a pipeline of skilled local talent for the company’s growing workforce. This year, all 17 junior college scholarships were reserved for students pursuing studies in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, aligned with a new internship initiative that places program recipients in key roles across the company’s network operations, IT infrastructure, and cybersecurity divisions.
Digi CEO Ivan Tesucum explained that the targeted STEM focus addresses the company’s growing demand for skilled local workers, allowing the firm to nurture young talent from early in their academic careers through summer internships and long-term professional development.
The 2026 program received more than 200 applications from students across Belize, reflecting high demand for the support. The initiative launched in 1991 with just 25 awards, and BTL has steadily expanded access over the past 35 years. The company announced plans to grow the program again next year, with a goal of offering 75 scholarships to qualifying Belizean students in 2027.
The award ceremony was covered by News Five reporter Shane Williams, who filed this report from the event.