ADDRESS DELIVERED by MINISTER of EDUCATION, HON. FRANCIS FONSECA at 2007 CXC NATIONAL AWARD CEREMONY

Venue: SJC Gymnasium, Belize City

Date: November 22, 2007

Members of the CXC National Committee, Colleagues from the Ministry of Education, Principals, teachers, our distinguished student awardees, parents, friends, a pleasant good morning to you all.

We meet today as we have met each year for the last 10 years to acknowledge and to pay tribute to our students for their outstanding performance in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

As a nation, it is very important for us to honor these young Belizeans and to hold them up as shining examples of the greatness of Belize.  In these young women and men, our nation and people can find strength and have confidence in the future. In them, we can find the hope and promise of tomorrow.

We can and should be proud of these students and Belize’s Education System.

There remain many challenges in our Education System and I will be the first to tell you that much work lies ahead, but the truth is, our students are doing better, and many, like those here with us today, are excelling.  This award ceremony, itself, provides compelling evidence in support of that fact.  In 1998, students were sitting four (4) or five (5) CXCs.  Today, it is commonplace for students to sit eight (8) or ten (10) subjects.

In 1998, the number of students receiving awards at this ceremony was 83.  Today, we will award 775 students, a dramatic increase of 934%.  We should all celebrate and take pride in this national achievement.

Our Government, the Churches, principals and teachers, communities and families have all recognized, I believe, the fundamental and critical importance of investing in education and in making education work for Belize.  This is good news for the future growth and development of Belize.

Today, among the 775 students honored, I would like to pay special tribute to our top performers whom you have just met. Our top CAPE Performer is Philip Deshield and our Most Outstanding Candidate and Outstanding Candidate in the 2007 CSEC Exams, respectively, are Jaime A. Burgos and Christopher J. Waight, job well done guys.  Belize is very proud of you.

We are also very proud of all those who have supported you along the way, your teachers and Headmaster at SJC and, of course, your families.

Without family support and guidance, it is almost impossible to achieve excellence.  To Dr. & Mrs. Deshield, Hon. Dave Burgos & Mrs. Flavia Burgos, and Mr. Joseph Waight and Mrs. America Waight, we say congratulations and thank you.

Thank you for your strong commitment to your children’s education.  There is no better gift that you can give a child than a good, well-rounded education.

Today, allow me as well, to recognize a very special young man who is here with us all the way from the Toledo Community College.  This young man passed six (6) CXCs.  A great achievement in its own right, but what is even more remarkable about him is that he did so despite the fact that he is blind.

Ladies and gentlemen, let us give Richard Genus from Toledo a big round of applause.

Richard represents a growing number of young persons in our country with special needs, who given the opportunity and support they need, can be full and active participants in Belizean society.  We must never forget these young people and we must never let them down.  Richard, we are all very proud of you and pledge our full support to your future education.
 
To all our students here today, I say, on behalf of the Government, the Ministry of Education and, indeed, our entire nation, Congratulations and best wishes for the future.

Our hope and prayer is that you will continue to lead productive, meaningful lives not only to improve your own quality of life, but also to improve the lives of your families, communities and nation.

I urge you all to love Belize, stay in Belize, and work to build Belize!!

Thank you

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