Free Schools, the President shows his optimism

Several parliamentarians are asking the Head of State to submit his projet of free education to the Parliament for ratification and to define a legal framework, while other more pessimistic, predicting a failure in this presidential initiative, of free education, which according to them, will not last one year.

Before these reactions, the President Martelly expressed confidence in the success of his program of free education “funds are available” he affirmed, noting that “the role of government is to protect all citizens, […] but there are programs that are urgent. What I want to say, is that there are children in this country who can go to school and others who have never went to school, so the priority is to work for these children”

Regarding those who predict a failure, the President Martelly responds “it is their opinion, I think they are entitled to their opinions. We work so that the children who have never been to school, go to school for free in schools that we identified, this is what I have to say them. Now, there are people who are opposed to this program ? I do not know, but I think that when the Government will have started to work, as the parliamentarians request, we will establish a legal framework in order to sustain this program.”

At the level of Ministry of Education, experts, including educators and inspectors are working on an appropriate educational content, that can truly meet the needs of children aged 6 to 12 who will be part of the program of free education.

In parallel to the evolution of this file, Lourdes Edith Delouis the secretary of the National Confederation of Haitian Educators (CNEH) reiterates its support to the program of free education, recalling as she had done in early July, the necessary conditions to the success of this project “…the Ministry must establish, so that these objectives can be achieved, in terms of preparation, of teachers, because we can not put anyone in front of children ; in terms of location where they will be received, because we know that the schools that already exist are not enough for the children who were already there, and if you want to educate a higher number, efforts must be made ​​in terms of premises, of space. We also request educational materials for these childres” noting that the older children, who have never attended school require a particular approach.

The President Martelly should meet with the officials of the Ministry of Education to discuss of a possible postponement, of one month, of the new school year.