Thursday at the Montana Hotel, Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant and the Rector of the State University of Haiti (UEH), Professor Fritz Deshommes, in the presence of several government ministers, parliamentarians of the various committees of representatives of universities, deans, professors and some 40 national laureates from various sectors, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the State and the UEH.

This memorandum of understanding (contract plan) must allow the UEH to have the means to favor its full autonomy in order to equip the country with qualified, competent, competitive and indispensable human resources for its development.

Prime Minister Lafontant has promised that his government will make available to the UEH resources for the performance and the modernization of this institution and expressed the wish that the State University of Haiti contributes to the recovery of the major challenges of higher education in Haiti and wished that the UEH put in place technical and professional training programs adapted to major projects of the State and local authorities "[...] This memorandum of understanding must allow the UEH to have the means to exercise its autonomy in order to provide the country with the qualified human resources essential for its development. This memorandum of understanding signed between the executive branch and the State University of Haiti, is an important step towards the reform of this institution.

The Government expects that the State University of Haiti can contribute to addressing the major challenges facing Haitian higher education and it will support the University in its modernization efforts by providing the necessary resources to achieve this.

The State will respect the commitments expressed in this Memorandum of Understanding and expects the University, through its governing bodies, will also respect its commitments."

According to Lafontant, a former board member of the State University of Haiti, this agreement, beyond its republican foundation, marks a turning point in the history of Haitian higher education. The Head of Government took the opportunity to hand out checks to twelve graduates from different fields of study out of a total of 154 nationwide, who will be progressively distinguished.

As part of the signing of this plan contract between the State and the UEH, it is planned, among others, the construction of new campuses, the maintenance of infrastructures, the renewal of didactic and pedagogical materials, the diversification of the sectors and the strengthening the training offer.

HL/ S/ HaitiLibre