ARTICLE - MINISTER OF EDUCATION STATEMENT

STATEMENTS OF JOEL DESROSIERS JEAN-PIERRE, MINISTER OF EDUCATION
(Haiti Libre) -

The new school year that adds more than 140,000 new children, who were never enrolled in school, and the willingness of President Martelly to facilitate the free access to school for the greatest number, requires significant efforts from the Ministry of Education. In this sense, the Ministry has strengthened its support programs, of subsidies and of training for teachers. In addition, the Ministry announced the regularization of 7,000 teachers who were in an irregular situation and who will now be paid from the budget of the Republic.

"...according to the new needs that were created, we state that the Ministry continues to conduct a series of programs of support and of supply that it has always had put in place. This year the Ministry will strengthen its programs, of subsidy for the school textbooks [70% subsidy], of donations of textbooks [100% free for the poor], of distribution of school kits, uniforms and school meals.

Alongside these programs to facilitate access to school [...] we urge all stakeholders in the education system, to continue to work to improve the quality of education. If it is good that we brought more children in school, at the level of the Ministry of Education, it is also important for us, that the children progress and receive a good supervision.

In this sense, we inform you that this year, alongside the teacher training program [...] which is already underway, we have established a basic accelerated training program as well as other training programs as part of isolated projects. [...] we believe that teacher training should be managed in an integrated way, through the implementation of the operational plan of a refoundation of the education system.

[...] We want to state that the lessons learned from the latest results of state examinations at all levels, whether they are at the level of 6th, 9th, rheto and philosophy has raised questions, and we ask that children receive better supervision [...] we take the opportunity to tell you that a great effort has been made in this direction. We announce that 7,000 teachers who were in an irregular situation, who were working, and who had no letters, status, or cheque from the State, have been regularized and today they have their letter and receive their wages from the budget of the Republic.

[...] taking into account these efforts, the Ministry asks the teachers, to make this time, more effort ino supervising children, so that the results of state examinations will be improving... We take this opportunity to ask the inspectors and directors of schools, to reduce absenteeism in schools and to work towards a better use of school time, especially since this year, the new school year takes place on October 3 instead of September.

Talking about the efforts being made at the level of the 3rd fundamental cycle.... there are many schools with two cycles, who have added the 3rd cycle. The regularization of 7,000 teachers, will allow a better integration of the 3rd cycle. We have already passed instructions to the Directorate of Fundamental Education, so that it works to the consolidation of the fundamental schools, so that the 3rd cycle is integrated in a better way.

Finally, we continue to ask the Department Directors [...] to ensure that all teachers who are posted in their department and who receive a cheque from the State, have a clear assignment in a national school or a high school.

Now, on the occasion of this new school year, which is a special back to school, we take the opportunity to ask all stakeholders in the educational system, to make a special contribution to this major project of universal schooling. The challenge of universal education is collective and calls on the Haitian community as a whole..."