Hundreds of primary and pre-primary students in Belize’s northern Orange Walk District will soon access upgraded, climate-resilient learning spaces, as two new school construction projects break ground and a major classroom rehabilitation reaches completion under the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)-supported Belize Education Sector Reform Programme II (BESRP II).
The milestone was marked this week with dual groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Indian Church Primary School and a combined pre-primary and primary campus in Blackwater, Trial Farm Village, alongside an official handover event for the rehabilitated classroom block at Trial Farm Government School. At the handover, CDB Vice-President (Operations) Dr. Isaac Solomon and Belize’s Minister of State for Education, Culture, Science and Technology Honourable Ramon Cervantes formally passed the facility keys to a local educator, signaling the start of improved learning for students at the upgraded campus.
These three projects are part of the broader BESRP II initiative, which will deliver 35 fully constructed and outfitted school infrastructure projects across Belize by its conclusion.
The new Indian Church Primary School, built at a total cost of roughly US$1.3 million (equivalent to BZ$2.31 million), is designed to serve 96 students across four classrooms, with additional space for administrative offices, staff amenities, modern sanitation infrastructure, and supporting utility systems. The facility is built to meet modern building codes, with integrated hurricane-resistant design, dedicated water storage, improved drainage, and comprehensive fire safety protocols to protect students and staff.
The completed rehabilitation of the Trial Farm Government School classroom block carried a price tag of approximately US$120,000 (BZ$0.24 million), while construction of the new Blackwater combined pre-primary and primary campus is now underway at a cost of US$1.51 million (BZ$3.02 million). Across the three projects, education officials project that hundreds of local students will gain access to safer, higher-quality learning environments, while expanded enrollment capacity will improve overall access to education across the district.
Speaking at the milestone events, Dr. Solomon emphasized that the CDB’s investment extends far beyond constructing new physical infrastructure. “Our commitment goes beyond building infrastructure—we are supporting a stronger and more resilient education system that equips students with the knowledge and skills they need for the future, while contributing to broader social and economic development,” he said. “Indian Church Primary and the Belize Education Sector Programme as a whole, is pivotal in advancing educational excellence—an ambition that resonates deeply with my Bank’s refocused vision, anchored in the pillars of Innovate, Transform, and Thrive.”
CDB officials note that the projects reflect the shared priority of the regional development bank and the Government of Belize to deliver modern, inclusive, climate-resilient educational infrastructure that meets local community needs, while strengthening Belize’s national human capital. The investments also align with CDB’s 10-year Strategic Plan 2026-2035, which targets expanded social resilience and increased access to quality education for young people across the Caribbean, as well as the bank’s new Rebirth Vision that prioritizes expanded investment in resilient infrastructure throughout the region.