More schools for children in Haiti

Before the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti, the situation for educating children was dire. Most schools were run privately, so many families could not afford the high school fees; there was no common curriculum, and the training of teaching staff was generally poor.

That’s why SOS Children’s Villages has placed a strong emphasis on rebuilding and newly building schools in Haiti’s reconstruction.  That is also why we are placing an emphasis on teacher training.

Working in cooperation with the University of Quisqueya and with the Centre d'Accompagnement et de Formation pour la Transformation (CAFT), some 1,330 pupils in Port-au-Prince now have access to primary and secondary education under significantly improved conditions, including a computer lab, a library, a room for psychosocial assistance and a playground. There is also space available for training teachers.  

On October 5, a ceremony celebrated the opening of 14 additional classrooms at the SOS Children's Villages School in Santo, Port-au-Prince, allowing some 490 pupils to have access to high-quality education.

"SOS Children's Villages gives high value to education and training because good education opens opportunities for the child's future, which cannot be overestimated in its importance", said Francis Faroutine, coordinator of educational programs for SOS Children's Villages in Haiti at the ceremony. Also present were Peter Schick, the German Ambassador to Haiti, the chairman of the education committee of CLIO (Le Cadre de Liaison Inter-ONG) and representatives of partner organizations.  

In February this year, SOS Children's Villages completed the reconstruction of the community school in Santo, which was destroyed during the earthquake. This school was initially built and run by community members to enable their children to have a primary education. The renovated school now serves 500 children, with classes held in two shifts.

 In the coming weeks, four newly built public schools will open in the communities of Sudre, Guilgaud, Tellier, and Leger in the remote Southern region of Haiti. These projects were implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education. Construction work on a new SOS School in Les Cayes for another 500 pupils is expected to start in November this year.