From Jamaica Gleaner

A study by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has found that more than 300,000 children are not attending school in Haiti.

The 2011-15 study is the focus of a two-day workshop that ends here Wednesday with National Education Minister, Pierre Josué Agénor Cadet, indicating that the study is essential for a better understanding of the problems affecting the education system in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

“We cannot talk or engage in genuine reforms without clear and relevant information on every level of the education system”, he said, adding “the Ministry must continue to work to allow all children outside of the system to have their place in a classroom”.

According to the study, more than 320,000 children between the ages of six and 14 are not in school, about 160,000 children aged 11 to 15 are not attending school.

The study also found that almost 500,000 children aged five to 18 are completely excluded from the school system in Haiti and about one million children are at risk of leaving school without completing their studies.

UNICEF Resident Representative in Haiti, Marc Vincent, said the workshop is one of the many initiatives of the Ministry that contribute “to stimulate reflection and to take concrete steps towards improving the learning environment and reinforcing the quality of education as a strategy for the retention of children in classrooms.”.

IMAGE: PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC):

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