By Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Oct. 23, 2025

   The Central Bank of Belize, along with the Ministry of Education, launched its Financial Institutions and Transactions E-Book on Wednesday, October 22.

   “We have worked with them, and this is a grand moment because we are launching the eBook, which is going to make it more accessible for primary school students in Belize to have access to a basic understanding of financial institutions and transactions in Belize,” said Jair Pol, National Financial Inclusion Analyst at the Central Bank of Belize.

   As mentioned by Pol, the e-book caters to school children between Standards two and three, giving them a grasp of how money is spent under the Financial Inclusion Strategy, which will teach children money management and how to earn money.

   “We’re empowering individuals to be financially literate in the different topics. So, the literate self includes financial institutions, but also other investment tools. It gives the opportunity, like the presenter had said, that it gives opportunities for students to be able to use their own capital and to be able to start their own business in that sense,” Pol said.

   “… Because of the socio-economic background they have, from a young age, they can apply it as they get older, even at a young age,” said Ashlee Rodriquez, a teacher from St. Martin De Porres Primary School. “Let us look at budgeting. You budget the money you have in school, and then you learn about your needs and wants, especially if you have a limited amount in your pocket that your parents give you; and from there, it builds the skills they need to survive as they get older,” he added.

   The Central Bank of Belize’s objective is to have all primary schools in Belize teach their students some form of financial education, and with the launch, those figures stand at 74%.

   The e-book is available through the Ministry of Education’s 501 Academy portal.