District Education Council- (REC)
REC, Inaugural Ceremony
The function of Education Councils is to assist the Ministry in planning and monitoring the delivery of educational services specified for geographical regions of the country. In executing this function, Regional Education Councils shall:
- review all applications for a license, renewal of license, application for change in ownership, and other related factors, etc. by proprietors of schools in the region and submit its recommendations to the Chief Education Officer on the said matter;
- make recommendations to the Chief Education Officer about the suspension or cancellation of the license of schools in the region where requested by the Chief Education Officer or where the Regional Education Council considers it expedient; (c) review and approve school rules and changes thereto for Ministry of Education and government-aided schools in the region;
- review and make recommendations to the Chief Education Officer on fees charged by Ministry of Education and government-aided schools in the region;
- review appeals submitted to it by parents or guardians with respect to decisions and actions by schools by which parents or guardians are aggrieved and shall submit their findings on such cases with recommendations for action to the Managing Authority of the school, copied to the Regional Board of Management responsible for the school and to the Chief Education Officer;
- cause a triennial inspection of all schools in the education region and shall forward the findings and recommendations for actions to be taken to the Chief Education Officer, copied to the Managing Authority of the school and to the Regional Board of Management responsible for the school;
- vet applications of teachers in the region for licenses to teach and shall submit recommendations to the Chief Education Officer with reasons for disapproval, if negative;
- review, as requested by the Chief Education Officer, appeals by teachers in accordance with the Act, these Rules and other regulations, and shall submit its findings and recommendations on such cases to the Chief Education Officer with reasons for disapproval, if negative;
- review annual reports submitted by District Education Officers, other reports of the relevance including reports on national and international examinations and assist in the formulation of plans for the development of education in the region;
- and consider matters relating to the various levels and types of education in the education region and shall make representations to the National Council for Education and to the Minister of Education on any such matters as it considers expedient.
Composition of the Educational Council
Each Council shall consist of no more than eleven members from the education region to be appointed by the Minister as follows:
(a) the District Education Officer in charge of the education region, who shall be an ex-officio member and shall serve as secretary to the Regional Council;
(b) the Principal of a preschool center in the education region, selected by the Principals of the preschools in the education region;
(c) the Principal of a primary school in the education region, selected by the Principals of the primary schools in the education region;
(d) the Principal of a secondary school or institution in the education region, selected by the Principals of the secondary schools or institutions in the education region;
(e) two local representatives of Managing Authorities of the primary schools in the education region selected by the Managing Authorities of the primary schools in the education region;
(f) a local representative of the Managing Authorities of the secondary schools or institutions in the education region selected by the Association of Managing Authorities of Secondary Schools or Institutions (AMASS);
(g) a local representative of the Association of Tertiary Level Institutions of Belize (ATLIB), selected by ATLIB;
(h) a local representative of the branch of the teachers union having the widest membership in the education region, selected by the Executive of such union; and
(i) two local representatives of the business and/or community interests in the education region, recommended by the District Education Officer in charge of the region after consultation with the Principals and the Managing Authorities of the schools in the education region.
Officers of Regional Council
(1) There shall be a Chairman, Vice-Chair-man and Secretary of the Council.
(2) The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman shall be elected by members of the Regional Council from its membership at its first meeting.
(3) The District Education Officer in charge of the region shall be the Secretary of the Council.
Member of the Cayo District Education Council
The Cayo District Education Council is composed of the following members:
Schedule of Meetings
- Receives a directive from the Chief Education Officer
Each Council shall consist of no more than eleven members from the education region to be appointed by the Minister as follows:
(a) the District Education Officer in charge of the education region, who shall be an ex-officio member and shall serve as secretary to the Regional Council;
(b) the Principal of a preschool center in the education region, selected by the Principals of the preschools in the education region;
(c) the Principal of a primary school in the education region, selected by the Principals of the primary schools in the education region;
(d) the Principal of a secondary school or institution in the education region, selected by the Principals of the secondary schools or institutions in the education region;
(e) two local representatives of Managing Authorities of the primary schools in the education region selected by the Managing Authorities of the primary schools in the education region;
(f) a local representative of the Managing Authorities of the secondary schools or institutions in the education region selected by the Association of Managing Authorities of Secondary Schools or Institutions (AMASS);
(g) a local representative of the Association of Tertiary Level Institutions of Belize (ATLIB), selected by ATLIB;
(h) a local representative of the branch of the teachers union having the widest membership in the education region, selected by the Executive of such union; and
(i) two local representatives of the business and/or community interests in the education region, recommended by the District Education Officer in charge of the region after consultation with the Principals and the Managing Authorities of the schools in the education region.
Officers of Regional Council
(1) There shall be a Chairman, Vice-Chair-man and Secretary of the Council.
(2) The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman shall be elected by members of the Regional Council from its membership at its first meeting.
(3) The District Education Officer in charge of the region shall be the Secretary of the Council.
Member of the Cayo District Education Council
The Cayo District Education Council is composed of the following members:
- Ministry of Education- Mr. Jahmor Lopez, Principal Education Officer/Centre Manager, Cayo District (Secretary)
- Preschool Representative -
- Primary School Representative -
- Secondary School Representative -
- Secondary Management Representative-
- Managing Authority Representative-
- Managing Authority Representative-
- ATLIB Representative -
- BNTU Representative -
- Business Community Representative -
- Business Community Representative-
- ITVET Representative-
Schedule of Meetings
- The Council holds at least four meetings in every school year, one meeting in July or August and one in each term of the school year.
- Seven Members of the council make a quorum
- The chairperson may, at anytime, summon a special meeting and shall call such a meeting within fourteen (14) days if he/she:
- Receives a directive from the Chief Education Officer