In a note the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) informs the public in general and the education community in particular that, following negotiations with the unions around the teachers' demands, an agreement has been concluded, this Friday, January 30, 2015, for the immediate resumption of classes in public schools.

This is an "Addendum to the agreements between the MENPF and teachers' unions" https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13068-haiti-education-towards-an-agreement-with-unions-for-the-lifting-of-the-strike.html which adds to the agreements between the MENFP and teacher unions in May 2014 https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/Dialogue_social.pdf aiming the satisfaction of the claims of public school teachers.

The Platform of educational organizations, coordinated by Professor Josué Mérilien and the National Confederation of Haitian Teachers (CNEH) are the signatory parties of the agreement with the Ministry, concluded in the presence of members of the ad hoc committee for monitoring the exchanges including, among others, Léo Litolu, Representative of the Association of parents, Paul Gomis, Representative of UNESCO Office in Haiti and Julien Magnat, representative of the International Labour Office.

The Ministry specifies in his note that it "intends establish, with the support of teachers' unions in the months of February and March, an inventory of school hours actually provided in public schools. Hours not worked will be recovered in order to integrate teachers who are qualified, as required. In addition, the Ministry will ensure that all school hours paid by MENFP are actually performed by each teacher, the incumbent.

This Addendum remains open for signature by the Platform of teachers' unions, which unfortunately did not send representatives to the working session on Friday.

MENFP welcomes the signing of this agreement that should enable the resumption of classes in all public schools, starting this Monday, February 2, 2015 and reaffirms the government's willingness to work for the improvement of the teaching conditions and the reform of the education sector for the benefit of Haitian children."

However, the optimism of the Ministry of Education is likely to be short... While some public school students have already lost 20 school days during the month of January, several teachers' unions, including UNNOEH, do not consider themselves concerned by this agreement and decided to continue the strike started for several weeks. In addition to this strike that does not end, the paralysis of public transit on 2 and 3 February https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13088-haiti-economy-transport-strike-the-government-calls-for-calm.html compromises a return to normal class to which must be added this week the demonstrations of 4, 5 and 7 February, at the call of the "Table de concertation" of the radical opposition, composed among others, of the "Patriotic Movement for Democratic Opposition" (MOPOD), the "Movement of Freedom, of Equality of the Haitians for Brotherhood" (MOLEGHAF) and the "Patriotic Force for the Respect of the Constitution" (FOPARC), which intend to require that the Government reduce of 60% the fuel prices [!] https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13080-haiti-news-some-news-here-and-there.html

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13044-haiti-education-the-minister-manigat-requests-a-truce-to-the-teacher-unions-on-strike.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-13035-haiti-education-lettre-ouverte-du-ministre-manigat-aux-responsables-des-syndicats-d-enseignants.html (in french)

HL/ HaitiLibre