school in Haiti,
Institution Pédagogique Provision Divine is one of the many schools in Port-au-Prince that kept its doors closed on the second day of school on Oct. 4, 2022. Photo by Marvens Compere for The Haitian Times

PORT-AU-PRINCE — On the first day of school in the Pernier neighborhood Monday, the doors of Lycée de Pernier public school  remained shuttered. Inside the private College Coeur de Jésus in the Delmas neighborhood, tiny desks sat lined up, with chairs stacked on top. 

Nowhere were there signs of children giggling with each other in excitement on their first. In nearby streets, no cars taking schoolchildren to and from. A few drivers in private cars sped past here and there as did some taxi-moto drivers quoting exorbitant prices for trips. 

Overview:

With nearly 60,000 students unable to attend schools in the Port-au-Prince area last academic year, Haiti’s education officials prepare for contingencies to shore up the country’s already feeble school system in 2022-2023. However, with the start of the academic year delayed, they face a rocky beginning.

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Murdith Joseph is a social worker and journalist. She studied at the State University of Haiti and Maurice Communication. She first worked as a journalist presenter and reporter for Radio Sans Fin (RSF) then as a journalist reporter for Radio tele pacific and writting for the daily Le National. Today she joined the Haitian Times team and covers the news in Port-Au-Prince-Haiti.