For generations of young people and working adults in southern Belize, technical and vocational education has stood as one of the most reliable pathways to stable employment, in-demand skills, and upward economic mobility. Now, that critical pathway has received a transformative upgrade, with the official inauguration of the fully renovated Stann Creek ITVET (Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training) campus in Hope Creek Village, following a 12-month, $1.4 million rehabilitation project.
The campus reopening, originally scheduled for late June 2026, was delayed by an unexpected heavy downpour, but the setback did little to reduce the milestone’s importance for the local community. A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony finally marked the completion of the project, which addresses years of structural decay that had limited the institution’s ability to serve a growing student body. Speaking at the event, Dangriga Area Representative Dr. Louis Zabaneh emphasized that the upgrades will touch lives across the entire Dangriga, Sarawee, and Hope Creek constituency.
“Walking through the campus, it is clear that every classroom, office, and training lab is now fully functional,” Dr. Zabaneh noted. “One of the most persistent problems we faced, constant roof leaks that disrupted classes and damaged equipment, has finally been solved. These improvements will go a long way in helping us better serve our community, especially the students who come here to build the skills they need for successful careers.”
Funded by the Caribbean Development Bank through the 10th cycle of the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), the project was implemented jointly by the Belize Social Investment Fund and the Ministry of Education. Beyond superficial aesthetic changes, the renovation completely overhauls the campus’s core infrastructure to meet modern training standards. Dorett Tennyson, project manager for the BNFT, outlined the full scope of work completed over the past year: “We fixed persistent roof leaks, repainted all campus buildings, upgraded security lighting across the grounds, and replaced every window and door. We fully refurbished all existing restroom facilities, added a new staff restroom on the ground floor of the administration building, installed new tile flooring in the computer lab, and even provided new equipment for the building and trade training programs.”
Once a small campus serving fewer than 50 students total, Stann Creek ITVET has seen rapid growth in demand over the past decade, with more than 200 students graduating in recent years and applications continuing to climb. Campus manager Gwendolyn Garcia Martinez says the improved facilities have already sparked even more interest from prospective students, with more people eager to enroll and spreading the word about the upgraded institution to their communities.
The impact of the renovation is already extending beyond traditional student populations, Garcia Martinez explained. Local businesses and tourism operators, the region’s largest employment sector, have reached out to the campus to partner on employee upskilling programs. The institution will also now be able to accommodate vocational training for asylum seekers in the area, expanding its public service mission.
“The impact of this renovation is going to be far greater than any of us can fully anticipate right now,” Garcia Martinez said. “This upgraded campus gives us the capacity to serve far more people across this region, and to do it better than we ever could before.”
Looking ahead, the second phase of the improvement project will focus on strengthening the quality of instruction itself. Professional development training sessions for campus instructors are scheduled for early August, designed to give educators the tools and resources they need to deliver more effective, industry-aligned training to the next generation of Belize’s workforce.