ARTICLE - BACK TO SCHOOL - TEACHERS STRIKE

BACK TO SCHOOL ON OCTOBER 3, TEACHERS' STRIKE ON OCTOBER 4
(Haiti Libre) -

The new school year promises to be stormy at the teachers' level. The free education program does not create the unanimity among parents whose children are not on the list... Already on Monday, dozens of parents, members of the Coordination of Peasant Organizations for the Development of the South of Haiti (COPDSH) have accused the Departmental Directorate of Education, in pursuing a policy of exclusion in the recruitment of children and teachers in the program of free education of President Michel Martelly. Accusation denied by Régil’homme Joseph, the Departmental Director of Education asking the parents to be patient; noting that the program aims to reach approximately 24,000 children progressively throughout the Southern Department.

Yesterday was the turn for the teachers and supporters of the National Union of Haitian Normaliens (UNNOH) to demonstrate in the streets of Port-au-Prince, asking for the Head of State to publish the law on the regulation of school fees, voted on in 2009 but not yet published in the official newspaper "Le Moniteur". The demonstrators, armed with placards, said hostile words against the Head of State, questioning his program of free education for thousands of children.

The Association for Teachers of Municipal Schools in Port-au-Prince (ASIEMP) announced an indefinite strike from October 4th, if the authorities of the Municipality of Port-au-Prince do not pay the teachers their five months salary arrears... teachers announced a sit-in outside the Central Bank to demand the payment of amounts due from the Mayor of Port-au-Prince.