Gunfire and Bandits Make School an Impossible Dream for Haitian Children

Haiti’s Education Crisis Worsens Amid Escalating Violence

At Lycée Marie Jeanne, a school in Port-au-Prince, a man armed with a baseball bat stood watch over a food distribution site, attempting to maintain order among the nearly 5,000 displaced people seeking refuge there. This scene is a stark reflection of Haiti’s deepening crisis, where gang violence has not only displaced thousands but has also severely disrupted the education system.

Schools Struggle as Teachers Flee

The Haitian government reports that nearly one-fourth of the country’s educators have either been killed or forced to flee due to escalating violence. As a result, many schools remain understaffed or completely non-functional, leaving students without access to education.

Beyond academic setbacks, the collapse of Haiti’s school system is exposing children to even greater dangers. With many students unable to attend classes, they become more vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups, which have been terrorizing communities. Experts estimate that minors make up nearly half of gang members in Haiti, a grim indication of how the crisis is shaping the country's future.

A Sharp Decline in School Enrollment

The effects of the education crisis are evident in Haiti’s declining school attendance rates.

• In the province surrounding Port-au-Prince, 77,000 ninth graders sat for final exams in 2023-24, a decrease of 10,000 compared to the previous year.
• The Education Ministry estimates that 130,000 students in the capital region dropped out during the last academic year.
• Officials have yet to determine how many students have abandoned their education this year as the situation continues to deteriorate.

Children Forced Into Survival Mode

For many Haitian children, education is no longer a priority—it’s about survival.

Take Faida, a young girl who once attended school but is now among the thousands displaced by gang violence. After her father was killed in an attack, she and her mother, Faroline Parice, sought shelter at Lycée Marie Jeanne, which has been turned into a makeshift camp. Now, mosquitoes, rainwater, and uncertainty fill their days, with no clear path back to a normal life.

Faida’s story is just one among many, highlighting the devastating impact of Haiti’s crisis on its children. With violence showing no signs of easing, the future of Haiti’s next generation remains in peril.