For the past two weeks, all activities have been functioning in the country's third-largest city, except for school activities. This observation has angered many parents who were forced to keep their children at home. Out of the 190 school days scheduled for the 2023-2024 academic year, 20 days have already been lost in the school district of Les Cayes, lamented Sylvain Jean Désir, the South Departmental Director of National Education. According to him, "for the beginning of this week, approximately 60% of schoolchildren have already returned to school in the city."
Sylvain Jean Désir mentioned that discussions are underway at the ministry level to recover at least ten lost days by postponing the dates of the official exams. He also took the opportunity to request that the authorities maintain their presence in the streets to ensure the safety of students. "We continuously ask the police authorities to be present in the streets to encourage parents to take their children to school," he said. The South Departmental Director of Education hopes that this resumption of school activities will be permanent, arguing that "whatever problem arises in a country, initiatives are always taken to ensure that schools function."
According to Bellas Jean Benicel, coordinator of the Union of Trainers-Facilitators in Civic Education and Human Rights (UFADESH), "schools should be spared during political protests." While acknowledging the protesters' right to express their discontent, he urges them not to disrupt school operations anymore, as students are the future of the country.