About three months ago, a 14-year-old girl approached me and spoke out on behalf of her peers at the inauguration of a technical and vocational high-school by the Prime Minister of Haiti, Dr. Ariel Henry. She was sounding the alarm so that she could finish the school year with peace of mind: “Give me a chance to finish the school year”, she pleaded.
Her cry reflects the concerns of an entire generation who is yearning to go to school.
Indeed, the Haitian education system is reeling from the consequences of three pandemics: COVID-19, socio-political crises, and the desertion of qualified teachers. In total, most students have lost 190 school days since September 2019, which is the equivalent of an entire school year.
Add to that several natural disasters, most notably the 2010 earthquake, which claimed 250,000 lives and affected up to 80% of schools in the Ouest department of Haiti.
These disasters heavily impede access to schools for thousands of children due to the economic strain of families beset by food insecurity. In this context, the government just announced that in the coming days it will launch a conditional cash transfer program for approximately 500,000 parents.
Working to transform the Haitian education system
Despite all these challenges, we are not giving up, and with whatever means available, we are working to address the problems caused by these emergencies and meet the requirements to transform the education system, setting the compass on welfare in schools for both students and teachers.