P-to-P, June 5, 2024 [AlterPresse] — The National Union of Normaliennes and Educators of Haiti (Unnoeh) calls on the Presidential Transitional Council (Cpt) to respond to emergencies linked to the education system in Haiti, in an open letter noted the online agency AlterPresse.
Unnoeh criticizes what it describes as the Cpt’s indifference to the urgent problems facing the education system in Haiti.
More than a month after his installation, on Thursday April 25, 2024, the Presidential Transitional Council has so far shown no sensitivity to consider the educational emergencies, which are getting worse every day on the territory of Haiti, especially in the departments of West and Artibonite, she criticizes.
Terror and other violence by armed gangs, which have intensified since Thursday February 29, 2024 in the metropolitan area of the capital, Port-au-Prince, have generally paralyzed schools for more than two months.
The Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (Menfp) decided to reshuffle the 2023-2024 school calendarin order to protect the academic future of students.
The school, called Collège Mixte des Frères Nau, located in the center of the capital, Port-au-Prince, was set on fire on Monday March 25, 2024, by heavily armed groups.
Following this act, more than 1,000 children were deprived of their right to education, denounced the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in a press release dated Wednesday March 27, 2024.
23 classrooms were set on fire at the Nau Brothers Mixed College in this attack by armed bandits.
The National Union of Normaliennes and Educators of Haiti calls on the members of the Cpt on the acute disturbances, recorded during the 2023-2024 school year, because of the climate of terror established, with complete impunity, by the groups armed.
Several public schools and premises of the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (Menfp), located in the metropolitan area of the capital, Port-au-Prince, have been transformed into accommodation camps for displaced people fleeing the violence of these armed groups, notes Unnoeh.
She also mentions a difficult resumption of school activities in Port-au-Prince, with serious consequences on the multivariate academic rhythm between students, emergencies linked to official exams 2023-2024 and preparations for the start of the 2024-2025 school year, at with regard to all the challenges left as a legacy by the taking of Haitian schools hostage by politicians and armed groups.
She asks the Cpt to act, urgently, to enable the current 2023-2024 school year to be completed satisfactorily and also to begin preparations for the new school year 2024-2025, as soon as possible. .
Unnoehi urges the Presidential Transitional Council “to take measures, so that a clear signal is sent to the sector, in order to avoid a possible mobilization of the sector (such as the teachers’ unions) at the next back to school (2024-2025)”, in different points of the national territory.
“The dispersion measures and the policy of contempt for our demands”, which “only further weaken the education system”, must stop, demands the National Union of Normaliennes and Educators of Haiti. [emb rc apr 05/06/2024 12:30]
