While in recent weeks the Government has continued to multiply statements stating that everything was ready for the back to school and the accompaniment of families, it seems that school starts on Monday, has not reflected the optimistic statements of the Government.
If the principals were expecting fewer students the first day of school, many were surprised to have underestimated the situation. Most schools have welcomed a number of students much smaller than normal. Some had fewer than 50% of expected effective.
In addition, many students had no uniform due to lack of government subsidy, others were without schoolbag, without school books or even a pencil, due to lack of school kit distribution this year...
Moreover, if many parents among the poorest had indeed heard about the Government's decision to grant support of 5,000 gourdes to 100,000 poorest families, nobody seems to have perceived the slightest Gourde of this "ghost" program. Note that this support is clearly insufficient for families with several children to enroll (the majority of cases) while only one school uniform can cost 3,000 gourdes...
