History of BES

Saint Catherine Elementary School was established in 1883 as a private co-educational school. It has the distinction of being the oldest Catholic educational institution in Belize. The primary mission of the Mercy Sisters at this time was to inaugurate Catholic education in Belize. 

In 1984, St. Catherine Elementary School moved from the hands of an advisory board to a Board of Governors. For the first time in its one hundred years of history, a layperson was named Principal. In 1988, the sisters of Mercy, whose focus had shifted from education to care for the elderly and the homeless, asked the school to relocate. 

Through the generosity of the Belize government, a choice piece of property on Princess Margaret Drive was granted to the school. With the land secure, much effort was put into finding agencies or firms willing to lend the finances necessary to build the new school complex. To show the extent of the parent's commitment to the project, a family bond of $1,500.00 was instituted. Monies received from this contribution, coupled with a loan from the Belize Social Security Board, realized a large part of the total cost of construction. Construction of the new school complex began in August 1993, with the completion date being June 1994. In January 1993, the school's name was changed to Belize Elementary School to mark the official break from the sisters of Mercy.