belize has adopted wholeheartedly, and with much popular support, the rhetoric and practices of the ideologies of development and consumerism, twin hallmarks of a modernizing society. far-reaching changes have occurred in belizean society since 1960. the growth of educational opportunities and government employment has facilitated the emergence of a sizable middle-class with expanding horizons of consumption. the meaning of education has also changed. once revered as a scarce privilege guaranteeing social advancement, education is now perceived as a birthright and an essential tool for entering the job market.