Education in Haiti

Education standards in Haiti are extremely low. [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Haiti.pdf Haiti country profile] . Library of Congress Federal Research Division (May 2006). "This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain."] Haiti’s literacy rate of about 53 percent (55 percent for males and 51 percent for females) falls well below the 90 percent average literacy rate for Latin American and Caribbean countries. Under President Aristide, some improvements have been made. In 1997 the government passed a 10-year education plan, with the goal of universal access to quality schools. The national education budget increased from 9 percent of the national budget in 1997 to 22 percent in 2000, which paid for programs to provide school lunches, uniforms, and bus transportation. Additionally, in 2002 the government began a literacy campaign, facilitated by 30,000 literacy monitors and the distribution of 700,000 literacy manuals. Overall, school attendance rose from 20 percent in 1994 to 64 percent in 2000. Even with these improvements, however, the country still faces severe shortages in educational supplies and qualified teachers, and the rural population remains vastly underrepresented in the country’s classrooms. Currently, most Haitian schools are private rather than state-funded. International private schools (run by Canada, France, or the United States) and church-run schools educate 90 percent of students.

Haiti counts 15,200 primary schools, of which 90% are non-public and managed by the communities, religious organizations or NGOs. [cite news | title=Education: Overview | url =http://www.usaid.gov/ht/education.htm | work =United States Agency for International Development | accessdate = 2007-11-15] The enrollment rate for primary school is 67%, of which less than 30% reach 6th grade. Secondary schools enroll 20% of eligible-age children.

The educational system of Haiti is based on the French system. Higher education is provided by universities and other public and private institutions. It is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education. [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Education in Haiti; Primary Education | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.buildingwithbooks.org/intra/Intl_Programs/profile_Haiti.html | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2007-11-15 | language = ]

A list of universities in Haiti includes:
*Université Caraïbe (CUC)
*Université d'État d'Haïti (UEH)
*Université Notre Dame d'Haïti (UNDH)
*"Université Chrétienne du Nord d'Haïti" (UCNH)
*"Université Lumière" / MEBSH
*"Université Quisqueya" (UNIQ)
*"Université Roi Henri Christophe"
*"Université Publique de l'Artibonite aux Gonaïves" (UPAG)
*"Université Publique du Nord au Cap-Haïtien" (UPNCH)
*"Université Publique du Sud au Cayes" (UPSAC)

References