A report released by education organizations in December 2019 assessed the devastating impact of the year’s political crisis on Haiti’s already strained education system, documenting the lost learning time, disrupted examinations, and long-term consequences for student achievement that would be felt for years to come. The report estimated that students had lost an average of three to four months of instruction time during the 2018-2019 academic year.
The consequences were unevenly distributed. Wealthier students who attended well-resourced private schools and had access to tutors and stable home environments had found ways to continue learning during disruptions. Poorer students in under-resourced public schools with fewer resources and less stable home environments had fallen further behind.
Teachers, already among the most poorly compensated professionals in Haitian society, had worked heroically under terrible conditions throughout the year, often going without salaries while continuing to teach when they could. The report called for significant increases in teacher pay and working conditions as both a matter of justice and a practical necessity for retaining qualified educators.
The report’s most sobering finding concerned examination results: pass rates on national baccalaureate examinations had fallen compared to previous years, reflecting the disruption to academic preparation. The implications for university enrollment and long-term workforce development were significant and concerning.