P-au-P., February 1, 2024 [AlterPresse] — The deterioration of the security climate in Haiti, particularly in the metropolitan area of the capital, Port-au-Prince, has caused the sudden closure of more than a thousand public and private establishments, warns the Youth Coalition Haitian for Integration (Cojhit), in a survey whose data was transmitted to the online agency AlterPresse.
It is a real educational disaster, which jeopardizes the future of several thousand children and young people, deplores Cojhit.
Several schools, located at the bottom of Delmas, in Bel Air, La Salline and Carrefour Feuilles, are affected by the criminal maneuvers of armed gangs.
Congregational schools are also affected.
The Sainte Rose de Lima institution (better known as the Sisters of Lalue / avenue John Brown) in Port-au-Prince announces the suspension of its face-to-face classes, after a stray bullet hit the window of a classroom before falling back onto the playground, on Wednesday January 31, 2024, in a circular noted by the online agency AlterPresse.
This incident occurred when students and a teacher were in the classroom, she adds.
Classes will continue remotely until further notice, in order to guarantee “the safety of the children entrusted to us, and that of our collaborators, and not to expose them to stray bullets reaching the classrooms” , she explains.
After the kidnapping, on Friday January 19, 2024 in Port-au-Prince, of 8 people, including 6 nuns. Ultimately released on the evening of Wednesday January 24, 2024the congregation of the Sisters of Saint Anne had decided to suspend classes, from Monday January 22, 2024, in all educational establishments under its responsibility in Haiti.
For several weeks, an unknown number of private schools have suspended classes in classrooms, due to political turbulence, including the terror of armed gangs, according to testimonies obtained by AlterPresse/AlterRadio.
Cojhit worries about a school disaster with the terror of armed gangs in Haiti
La Cojhit reports an escalation of closing the doors of educational establishments, both private and public.
“In Thomazeau (one of the municipalities northeast of Port-au-Prince), of the 35 existing private and public schools, all doors have remained closed since October 2023, when the police authorities decided to hand over the entire population of this commune and in particular the children, into the hands of armed groups,” she notes through the data collected in the field.
The Haitian Youth Coalition for Integration denounces a significant worsening of the situation of violation of children’s rights to education over the last two years.
More than 200 private and public schools remained closed in the commune of Croix-des-Bouquets (another municipality northeast of Port-au-Prince), particularly in the city and neighboring neighborhoods, such as Dargout, Cottard , Duval, Savanne Blonde, Beudet, Meyer, Despinos, Nan Rigaud, nan Rémy, Cocoyer, Bellanton, part of Lilavois.
“The few schools that have agreed to operate are able to do so when the armed groups grant them permission. This is the case of the Lycée Jacques 1er and the École nationale Charlotin Marcadieu, which are the two public schools located in the town of Croix-des-Bouquets,” reports Cojhit.
The private schools which remain, despite everything, in the commune of Croix-des-Bouquets, operate with a symbolic number of schoolgirls and schoolboys.
Other schools in Croix-des-Bouquets or in nearby areas have been relocated to other neighborhoods less exposed to armed gang violence or to other municipalities, such as Tabarre or Mirebalais (central Plateau department).
In Tabarre (municipality northeast of the capital), certain private establishments have permanently closed their doors, while the main public schools in the municipality are not operating normally.
The Guy François Malary high school, located at Damien 9 on national road No. 1, north of Port-au-Prince), was forced to operate in a single shift, with the armed clashes occurring in 2022.
Students are unable to report regularly to classrooms, due to the accelerated deterioration of the security climate in the West department, notes the agency for the promotion of human rights and democracy in Haiti.
The maneuvers of armed gangs considerably affect the activities of the Lycée Jean Marie Vincent, located in Caradeux (in the municipality of Tabarre).
On several occasions, schoolgirls and teaching staff experienced great difficulty leaving high school to return to their homes.
In Torcelle and surrounding areas, schools and universities have remained closed since the start of the 2023-2024 academic year.
At the level of Route de Frères, de Pernier, rue Chavannes extended, in the commune of Pétionville (eastern outskirts), several private and public schools remained closed, including the National School of Madioro, despite the efforts made by the responsible staff to be able to restart school activities, regrets Cojhit.
In the commune of Carrefour (south of Port-au-Prince), several schools are also closed due to crime, the AlterPresse/AlterRadio platform also learns.
Attacks by armed gangs with heavy shooting have intensified in recent weeks in Carrefour.
At the level of the West department, several thousand children cannot benefit from the bread of education, with the number of schools out of service due to the climate of terror which is taking hold in the areas concerned, recalls the Cojhit.
An unknown number of schools continue to keep their doors closed in the metropolitan area of the capital, Port-au-Prince and in several towns in the provinces, according to information gathered by AlterPresse/AlterRadio.
For several days, many schools, especially those close to areas of conflict between armed gangs, have not been operating in Port-au-Prince.
Given the fragility of the situation, parents refuse to take the risk of sending their children to school, so that they do not fall victim to stray bullets or possible slip-ups.
Many schools are also closed in Liancourt, Gros Morne, Lestère, Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite, Montrouis and neighboring towns in the Artibonite department.
Cojhit urges the authorities to measure the extent of the damage caused by rampant crime and the growing phenomenon of gangsterization in Haiti.
The Haitian Youth Coalition for Integration also asks them to take all appropriate measures to guarantee respect for the rights of the child, in particular the right to education. [emb rc apr 1er/02/2024 12:15]
Photo: Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (Menfp)
