Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
The official entrance age to pre-primary education is 3 years old, with 2 years of free pre-primary education guaranteed in legal frameworks. In 2024, the net enrolment rate of pre-primary education (both sexes) was 42%.
Governance
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology is responsible for the supervision of service delivery for all education levels, from preschool to tertiary education. All public resources to fund education are channelled through this ministry. Preschools managed by the Ministry (through the Early Childhood Education Unit) include 223 facilities (52 government-owned, 117 government-aided, 49 private and 5 specially assisted). Most preschools are government-aided and private.
Tuition-free status
Pre-primary education (ages 3-4) consists of 2 years and is not compulsory (although the government plans to expand the compulsory school age to include preschool students). Primary education starts at the age of 5, with education being compulsory for children aged 5-14. While government and government-aided primary schools are tuition-free, this does not apply to government and government-aided preschools. There is no regulation on the amount of fees preschools can charge, with a wide variation in registration and monthly fees.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
District Education Centres are responsible for supervising schools at the pre-primary and primary levels. Each Centre assesses district-level needs and develops a prioritised sector plan and implementation strategy aligned with national education objectives, while also administering routine services such as monitoring student financial assistance and grant programmes. Resources allocated through an equity-based formula are distributed directly to schools to support targeted educational initiatives.
2. Education resources to institutions
Most education in Belize is subsidized by the state, including at the pre-primary level.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology provides grants and financial aid to government, government-aided, and specially assisted schools (including at the pre-primary level). In 2024-25, government support was granted to 51 government, 118 government-aided, and 56 private/specially assisted preschools.Besides salaries paid for teachers in government and government-aided preschools, a grant to assist with school snacks and other operational costs is provided to 62% of preschools.
The government additionally aims to develop an alternative preschool programme for areas where traditional preschools are not feasible. The new preschools and alternative education programmes aim to primarily benefit rural communities and thus reduce the gap between urban and rural enrolment in pre-primary education.
The Rural Education Grant Fund was launched in 2023 to provide targeted funding to students in rural areas.
3. Education resources to students and families
Government subsidies or vouchers are not provided directly to families at the pre-primary level. Instead, institutions are financed directly (see section 2).
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Building Opportunities for Our Social Transformation (BOOST)
The BOOST programme, launched in 2001, is a national conditional cash transfer initiative targeting households experiencing poverty, specifically those with children under 18 and pregnant women. The programme includes targeting children aged 0-4 and school-aged children (including those at the preschool level). It provides monthly financial transfers of BZD 44 to BZD 82 per beneficiary for up to six beneficiaries per household. A key feature of the programme is its educational conditionality, which requires children to maintain at least 85% school attendance, linking financial support directly to school participation and promoting educational inclusion for vulnerable populations.
Roving Care Program
In addition to formal care and preschool, the Roving Care Program (under the Ministry of Human Development, Family Support, and Gender Affairs) supports in-home child nutrition and stimulation, maternal health, parenting, and parent/caretaker accompaniment, targets children between 0-3 years who lack access to formal early childhood education service in disadvantaged communities, particularly in rural areas.
