By Zoila Palma: The Millennium Challenge Account-Belize (MCA-Belize) has awarded a grant of up to US$21.7 million to U.S.-based non-profit School-to-School International (STS) to strengthen secondary education in Belize.
The agreement, signed on October 21, 2026, establishes the Equipping Secondary Educators Program Partnership (ESEPP), which will be implemented in collaboration with Florida State University.
The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Prime Minister John Briceño and U.S. Ambassador to Belize André Bauer.
Florida State University’s Learning Systems Institute will serve as a cooperating partner, providing technical expertise and support to improve teaching quality, teacher preparation, school leadership and education systems nationwide.
Under the partnership, STS will contribute approximately US$5.4 million in additional resources, bringing the total investment to about US$27.1 million. The program will work closely with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology and other stakeholders to strengthen Belize’s education institutions and improve learning outcomes for secondary school students.
ESEPP will focus on four key areas: school leadership, professional development for secondary school teachers, pre-service teacher preparation, and improved teaching and learning materials. The initiative aims to increase the number of students completing post-primary education with skills and competencies that meet labour market demands, helping prepare young Belizeans for employment and future economic opportunities.
The program forms part of the US$125 million Belize Compact between the Government of Belize and the United States Government, through the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
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