ARTICLE - MARTELLY - SCHOOL SUCCESS

BACK TO SCHOOL, A HISTORIC SUCCESS FOR MARTELLY
(Haiti Libre) -

President Michel Martelly, officially launched this Monday, October 3, 2011, the school year 2011-2012 on a historical note; characterized by the accomplishment of the project of free education for 772,000 schoolchildren. A giant step was made, to the extent that the numbers have far exceeded initial projections of the Presidency. The President is aware of the magnitude of his mission and congratulates all those who helped in the completion of this first step; as many previously believed this to be impossible.

For those who are part of the program and who had already paid their school fees to the institutions concerned, they will be reimbursed, announced the President, who also invited all concerned to remain calm,... as things are progressively put in place during the first weeks. A contact number was disclosed in order to take note of any concerns and complaints (509)-3800-0008

The Head of State has renewed his promise of universal and free education for all students before the end of his mandate, and invites the beneficiaries to enjoy this privilege.

Speech of the Head of State :

"...promises are debts..., today we move from words to action, the action for a total of 772.000 children in the country of Haiti. Today is a great day for all the people of Haiti. Article 32 of the constitution has been able to be respected. As you kno,w USD$0.05 from every minute of international calls and USD$1.50 for each money transfer is going to the National Fund for Education (FNE). We say thank you very much to the diaspora. These small amounts have allowed the people to have access to school for free. There are four groups of people that will have free school in all the ten departments of the country.

The first group is 142,000 children in the first year fundamental grade. Children aged 6 to 12 years in the North, the South. These are the children who have never been to school, ... children who were left out, .... the children that the other system in place never helped.

The second group is 120,000 children in the West and Artibonite in the first year fundamental grade in all schools who agree to enter this program.

The third group is 490,000 children attending national schools throughout the country, from the first to sixth fundamental grades, ..... they will not have to pay any fees [usually 100 gourdes annual]

The fourth group is 20,000 children from the neighborhoods of Grande Ravine, Ti Bois, Cité Soleil, Bel Air, Solino, Delmas 2, Carrefour, Martissant, Bolosse, Carrefour Feuilles and others from the area of Port-au-Prince, .... neighborhoods that are considered as poor neighborhoods. I wanted to put these children in school.

Students in the National School of Tabarre together with 490,000 other students from the National schools across the country, will not have to pay for school. This is a beautiful thing, ... to help all parents who have no means. I also gave instructions to officials of the transportation company Dignité so that they transport the children of the people to school for free.

We will meet the challenge 'Tet Kale', and step by step, we will move forward to reach the goal of putting all the children of the country to school quickly and for free.

I remind all parents of children who are in school,... the program has just begun. So there may be some small problems, ... but we ask everyone to be patient because we are working to resolve all these problems.

The challenge to which I am committed body and soul and the first results have required innovative initiatives, ... seem to be more and more eloquent. Who would have thought a few months ago, that 142,000 children aged 6 to 12 years, supported completely by the public authorities would find themselves today for the first time on the way of the school in the departments of the Centre, North, Northeast, Northwest, the Grande-Anse, Nippes, South and South-East?

Who would have imagined that 490,000 children spread throughout the country, would not have to pay school fees in public schools and that 772,000 students would receive a school grant?

Finally, who would have ever thought, that in the same way as other countries throughout the world, that all children who are in uniform, would be entitled to free transport to go to school?

That's a manifestation of the will that I have to offer, to all the persons, that no one in the society is not taken care of,... an opportunity to access a better tomorrow, ... to relieve the parents of these children,... who have all sorts of difficulties because they do not have a good job or even because they do not work at all..."

President Martellywas pleased of this achievement and has renewed his gratitude to all those who, in one way or another, have largely contributed to that first step, especially the members of the Haitian diaspora.