Tuesday, December 12, 2023 the Ambassador of the European Union to Haiti, vdStefano Gatto and Michel Patrick Boisvert, the Minister of the Economy, signed an agreement of 18 million euros to finance the first phase of a Program entitled "Education for living together".

The main objectives of this Program which will be implemented in the Great South, a region frequently affected by natural disasters, and in the North-East, a Department with high potential for economic growth. Are to strengthen governance and management of the education system, improve access to inclusive education in areas affected by the earthquake, build school infrastructure to anti-seismic and climate standards and improve the quality offer of training technical and professional consistent with the needs of the Haitian economy.

Present at the ceremony, Nesmy Manigat, the Minister of National Education specified "This is an economic and social development program which will affect more than 300,000 students" who also sees in this program a reinforced initiative to support the reconstruction of the education sector in the Southern Peninsula too frequently and heavily affected by earthquakes and tropical storms.

Beyond the construction of school buildings in prioritized areas, the Program, with a focus on the departments of the North-East, takes into account the aspect of technical and professional training with support which will be directed towards local partners operating in this area. education sub-sector. In this sense, Minister Manigat believes that this will be an opportunity to move forward with the project to create technical high schools including the Ouanaminthe agricultural technical high school.

Ambassador Gatto reiterated the EU's commitment to helping guarantee the right of children and young people in Haiti to quality education; which is essential, from his point of view, to the development of the country. Furthermore, he returned to the areas of intervention prioritized in this program such as that of technical and professional training aimed at better preparing young people to enter the job market, especially in the North-East, a department displaying good potential for economic growth.

As for Minister Boisvert, he recalled that "The strengthening of education at all levels, including technical and professional training, remains one of the priorities of the government which is aware of the preponderant role of education as a as a determining factor in prosperity, the development of the population and the consolidation of national unity."

In this sense, Minister Boisvert highlighted the scale of this program aimed at ensuring access to quality education, strengthening the management capacities of the education system and support for technical and professional training meeting the needs of market needs.

As part of the development of the second phase of this program, it is planned to commit during 2024 an additional amount of 24 million Euros to support support for the governance of the education system through quality improvement education, teacher accreditation, curriculum reform and financial management.

HL/ HaitiLibre