By Fr. Matthew Ruhl, S.J.
I am 65 years old, which means that — somehow — I have been a Jesuit for 43 years and a pastor for 30. Many of my friends have naturally begun to retire. At the same time, I am taking on the greatest challenge of my life. Because as a Catholic, I must. Please allow me to explain.
In Belize, Gained Independence Led to Educational Challenges
In 1981, Belize gained her independence. At the same time Belize became independent, the Jesuits surrendered administration duties of the educational system to the Government of Belize (GoB). The day the Jesuits handed over the school system to the GoB, Belize boasted a literacy rate above 90%. (To put that in perspective, the literacy rate in the United States is just 79%.)
Nations around the region touted Belize’s superior education system under Jesuit oversight. Now with the GoB at the helm, that is no longer the case. The education system — the backbone, hope, and future of any nation — is decaying.
The Deal that Impacted Educational Progress in Belize
Upon the country’s independence, Catholic schools and the GoB struck a deal: The government pays teacher salaries while the Church funds school buildings, grounds, nutritional programs, and maintenance.
This deal was made possible because there’s no separation of church and state in Belize. And it seemed like an equitable agreement at the time. However, the government has the benefit of receiving tax money, which goes toward paying teachers. Conversely, the Church has zero access to tax money and thus no financial support to upkeep school infrastructure. Furthermore, the GoB requires free education to be available to all, meaning the Church cannot ask for tuition from its students beyond minimal school fees.
The result? For the last 40 years, the 432 buildings that house 32,000 students in 112 Catholic schools have deteriorated to the point that it is no longer a case of “deferred maintenance.” It’s outright neglect. Buildings are being condemned, and roofs are leaking and caving in. The need for termite, bat, and killer bee remediation is unrelenting. What’s more, half of the desks need to be replaced.
On top of the infrastructural and classroom needs, our Catholic school personnel rightly feel a moral obligation to feed our hungry students, many of whom are also stunted by malnutrition. During the dry season, many of the villages surrounding our schools suffer water shortages that — to say the least — compromise health and hygiene. Finally, given the remarkable violence wrought by the drug trade in Belize, many of our children and teachers suffer from the debilitating effects of PTSD.
What’s Next for Belize Depends on Us — and the Lighthouse Ride
There is no money — no money at all — to attend to any of these needs. But the fact remains that the Church requires millions of dollars to address this situation. The Catholic Public Primary School System of Belize is collapsing. Plain and simple.
Yet, we have one hope.
I am the Pastor of St. Peter Claver RC Church and the Chairman of the Bishop’s Commission on Education. Celia Usher, General Manager of Catholic Schools, and I, along with the Bishop’s Commission on Education, propose to raise $5,000,000 USD to revitalize our Primary Catholic Public School System. How? With a fundraising project called the Lighthouse Ride.
The Lighthouse Ride is a bicycle ride from Brunswick, Maine, to Santa Monica, California. All proceeds will be deposited into an account with the Jesuits of the Central and Southern Province Society of Jesus, an account that historically yields an average of 4.5-5.0% interest per annum.
Without touching the principle, this interest would give Catholic Public Schools of Belize approximately $225,000 annually to begin building back the schools. Grants will be reviewed and awarded to schools who apply. The entire process — from application review to finished project — will be subject to careful oversight. Over the years, the principle will be increased, giving Catholic Public Primary Schools additional annual revenues to work with.
This project is the one hope for the education system in Belize. And its failure will mean the total collapse of Catholic Primary Public Education. And yet…its success will mean the beginning of reclaiming the glory of education in Belize.
The first grants will be paid out in 2027. But as the ever pragmatic Celia Usher observed, “2027? That’s great, but we’re broke now!” True enough. So…
Catholic schools now sponsor an annual event called the Lighthouse Walk. Every February, our 32,000 students walk around their villages, towns, and cities to raise money for Catholic schools. In February 2023, we organized the first ever walk and raised $30,500 for the cause. Following years promise to be better organized and more fiscally rewarding. We did have full participation from our student body around the country, an important symbol of our solidarity.
Belizeans are doing their part with the Lighthouse Walk. But they need our help. The Lighthouse Ride is your chance to participate. Please think about donating to this critical project for the school system in Belize — before the education, health, safety, and wellbeing of our students suffers any more.
Join Us in Supporting Children in Belize
To donate to the Lighthouse Ride, click here. Be sure to designate ‘Belize Catholic Primary Schools’ in the dropdown. The Ride itself begins on July 1, 2025, but planning and fundraising are already well underway. I sincerely thank you for your time and consideration.