Preparations for the school year were rather subdued. Even the day before, there were no signs indicating that the school year was about to begin. An unusual start on a Tuesday, nonetheless, Port-au-Prince and its surroundings awoke to a school atmosphere.
At 7 a.m., the streets of what remains of downtown Port-au-Prince were already bustling. Cars, motorcycles, and pedestrians vied for priority on the roads. On the sidewalks, small businesses were thriving. From vendors selling candies and school supplies to shoe shiners, activities abounded.
Here and there, parents were seen accompanying their children on this first official day of school, either on motorcycles or on foot. While the majority proudly donned their uniforms, some opted for casual clothing, either due to lack of preparation or out of caution. From national schools to private and congregational institutions, areas like Canapé-Vert, Turgeau, Bois-Verna, Avenue Christophe, Lalue, and Pétion-Ville welcomed students for their first day. At some public schools, students and parents were spotted requesting lists of required school supplies and flyers.
Throughout the capital, police presence was heightened for this first day. Traffic officers, EduPol patrols, and public safety brigadiers were deployed to assist students. This school year also marked the opportunity for some schools to reopen in new locations, such as the Adventist College of Vertières, which had to relocate from Rue Nicolas to Avenue John Brown.
In stark contrast, some public schools were unable to resume activities on Tuesday. The Jean-Jacques Dessalines Lycée remained closed, awaiting arrangements from the Ministry, while the Argentine Bellegarde National School was still trying to reclaim its premises occupied by displaced persons.
Timid School Opening in Jacmel
In Jacmel, the school year for 2024-2025 began rather timidly. Indeed, very few students returned to classes.
While educational institutions in the city opened their doors on Tuesday, the Pinchinat Lycée was an exception. The building of this public school is not ready to accommodate students and is still awaiting reconstruction. Meanwhile, a plan has been established with UN agencies to create temporary spaces to allow students to attend classes, although no date has been set for the start of construction.
School Year Marked by Demands in the Nippes
In the Nippes region, the school year was officially launched at a ceremony held at Jacques Prévert Lycée. During this event, attended by several local officials, education leaders took the opportunity to voice their requests to the central government authorities. Among their demands were the completion of construction on national schools in Fond-Tortue, Changeux, and Lièvre, as well as the appointment of nearly one hundred public school directors, supervisors, and teachers.
A Mixed School Opening in the Central Region
From Mirebalais to Hinche and Cerca-Carvajal, the start of the school year was marked by a striking contrast. While students in private schools resumed classes, public school students were notably absent.
School Year Not Yet Effective in Artibonite
In Saint-Marc, the school year began similarly to how the previous one ended, with very few students answering the call on Tuesday. School administrators in the city complained about the number of report cards that parents have not yet collected due to financial constraints.
On this first day of classes, only a few congregational schools managed to operate normally. Other educational institutions postponed the return of the few students who showed up until next week.
A similar situation was observed in Gonaïves, where some schools chose to hold religious activities instead. During a mass at the Gonaïves Cathedral to commemorate the school year opening, Fritzner Aurélien, the departmental director of education in Artibonite, urged parents, students, and teachers to intensify efforts to improve academic performance, which has been in decline for several years. He also called on state authorities to enforce the school calendar.
Timid Start to the Academic Year in the North-East
The 2024-2025 academic year began quietly in the North-East department, with the majority of students not yet returning to school. In major cities like Fort-Liberté, Trou-du-Nord, Terrier-Rouge, and Ouanaminthe, public schools operated at reduced capacity. Joseph Edgard Dumay, the departmental director of the MENFP, confirmed via phone that public primary schools were functioning with only about 20% of their usual student population, while private institutions had around 50% attendance.
Quiet Opening in the North and North-West
In the North, particularly in Cap-Haïtien and Port-de-Paix, while a few parents accompanied their children to school on Tuesday, the majority did not show up. Very few students were observed in schools, which operated with limited attendance.
The South Hosts the Official School Opening Ceremony
This year, the official school opening took place in the South department. On this occasion, President Edgard Leblanc Fils, accompanied by presidential advisor Frinel Joseph and Minister of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) Augustin Antoine, inaugurated the Paulo Freire Technical Vocational Training Center in Les Cayes and the Melonière National School in Chantal.
Meanwhile, in Port-au-Prince, Prime Minister Garry Conille visited the Lycée du Cent Cinquantenaire on Chemins des Dalles during midday.