Haitian schools reopen after months of unrest
Protected by police patrols, thousands of Haitian children began to return to school Monday after months of violent unrest forced schools to close around the country.
Some schools were about a quarter full. Others had only a handful of students or didn’t open.
Like virtually all government offices and private businesses, Haitian schools closed during more than two months of protests aimed at pressuring President Jovenel Moïse to leave office. Protesters say Moïse has mismanaged the economy and tolerated corruption. Moïse says he is trying to steer the country toward
At the Lycée de Petionville, in a relatively prosperous section of Port-au-Prince, about 400 children showed up. greater stability and will not cede to what he calls unconstitutional demands for him to leave office before his term is over.
High school senior Yollande Chery arrived at her school to find only four other students and one teacher.
“It hurts knowing that in other countries schools are in session,” she said. “Staying home is not what I want to do. I want to be at school with my friends.”
At the public Lycée de Petionville, in a relatively prosperous section of the capital, about 400 children showed up. The school holds about 2,000 students when at full enrollment.
Director Jean-Marc Charles said the school had been trying to keep older students up to date by sending them homework assignments through WhatsApp.
He said the school would hold classes on Saturdays and eliminate all but a couple of days of Christmas vacation in order to help students catch up on their studies.
In other cities, such as Gonaïves in northern Haiti, many schools were closed due to continued roadblocks and fear of violence.
The same was true in neighborhoods of Port-auPrince, where administrators declined to open Monday despite the government call for classes to restart.