Monday, September 9, at the National School of Frères, Pierre Josué Agénor Cadet, the Minister of National Education in the presence of officials of the Ministry, representatives of international institutions involved in the education sector in Haiti, teachers and several hundred students, officially launched the 2019-2020 school year.

A Back to school where teachers responding to the call of the National Confederation of Haitian Educators (CNEH), the National Federation of Workers in Education and Culture (FENATEC), the National Union of Normalians and Haitian Educators (UNNOEH) and the National Union of Haitian Normalians (UNNOH), took the streets in Port-au-Prince and in several provincial cities to demand better working conditions. In several schools in the metropolitan area the students were few and several teachers had preferred to take the street than to be present in class...

Expressing his satisfaction for the launch of the 2019-2020 school year, despite the difficulties of all kinds, the Minister Cadet hailed the parents for their willingness and determination to accompany their children back to school "Chapo ba pou tout paran pou sakrifis yo deja fè e y ap kontinye fè pou edikasyon timoun yo. Ministè a ansam ak gouvènman deja pote kole pou bay bourad pa l pou soulaje fado manman ak papa pitit".

Regretting the impact of the political and socio-economic crisis that thwarted the State's determination to do more and better for the young people who will return to school, Cadet denounced the fact that the education system is too often taken into hostage in counterproductive political rivalries, thus opposed to the interests of the youth and the country.

Launching a vibrant message to protect the right to education, the Minister asked all actors "Leave the school out of politics. Allow the children of the Republic to build their future through education [...] the school should not be held hostage of anyone. It is a good thing of the Republic and all the children must be able to enjoy it in all peace, without any distinction."

Minister Pierre Josué Agénor Cadet took the opportunity to highlight the efforts made by the administration of Jovenel Moïse to put order in the system while removing recurring problems such as unnamed teachers, recalling that more than 9,000 Teachers and administrative staff have been appointed in the last two years.

Explaining, public schools require 28,000 teachers to operate while there are 35,000 in the workforce and just over 30,000 are regularly paid. Affirming "This anomaly can not last anymore, it will have to be quickly corrected [...] a redistribution of these staff is envisaged for the consolidation of the 3rd cycle"

At the end of the ceremony, Minister Cadet and other departmental officials distributed the uniforms, school bags and textbooks to the students. He also took part in the school's school canteen taking lunch with a group of students.

Download Minister Cadet's full speeches : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/message-cadet-rentree-2019-2020.pdf

HL/ HaitiLibre