St. John's College, Belize

St. John's College is the common name of five educational institutions under the same management in Belize City, Belize. The five institutions are:

* St. John's College High School (oldest, established 1887)
* St. John's College Junior College (established 1964)
* St. John's College School of Professional Studies [http://www.sps.sjc.edu.bz/] (established 1991)
* St. John's College Extension Department [http://www.ext.sjc.edu.bz/] (established 1957)
* SJC Centre for Business and Career Development [http://www.sjc.edu.bz/careerservices] (established 2006)

Saint John's College is a Jesuit educational organization. It has four different branches. There is a high school, a junior college, professional studies, and an extension school. Saint John's College is known country-wide, for it excels in both academics and sports. The Saint John's College - high school department, is rated by the Government of Belize, along with two more schools, as the best in the country. It is a private high school, attended by only the most industrious students and Belizean oligarchs. The high school is a Jesuit high school, for rich boys only.

The junior college, by contrast, is coeducational. Again, only the top high school graduates are accepted. The majority of the students come from the three top rated high schools in Belize: Saint Catherine's Academy, Pallotti High School (these are both private high schools for girls only) and Saint John's College. The junior college ranks ahead of all other junior colleges in Belize (rated by the Government of Belize). After graduating from this junior college, most students then proceed to the international level to obtain another level of education.

The Extension Department of Saint John's College aids in the success of those who were unable to obtain their highschool diploma. This department was originally established for adults who failed to complete highschool during their youth. Today more and more teenagers are leaving high school to enroll in the Extension Department of Saint John's College. The Professional Studies Department of Saint John's is a night version of the junior college. Those whose scores were too low for acceptance into the Junior College may choose to attend the not very professional studies courses and maybe graduate.

St. John's College is perhaps the institution that benefits the most from the educational set-up in Belize. Whilst there are many Government-run institutions in desperate need of human resources, St. John's College retains its status as a 'semi-private' school and still receives barely enough financial assistance from the Government's coffers. The school is run by the Jesuits, and it is believed that they have kept their grip on the domination of the educational field in Belize for decades, to the point that the country's political leaders are mostly pro-Jesuit education.