PREFACE 

This report is HGI’s first assessment on “Rebuilding Private Schools and Universities in Haiti” constructed with the contributions of various members of my team. The concept was originated during a lunch discussion with Dr. Marta Gomez Denamps,  Ph.D in Sociology, and former United Nations member who had assisted in the previous building-nation efforts in Haiti in the 90's – During our dialogue, based on my personal opinions, I introduced and emphasized on the necessity for the rebuilding efforts to focus on education, as I had expressed with the following notion: “Based on previous failures of successive Haitian governments, and international community leaders in implementing their imposed international economic and technical assistance programs in Haiti for the past decades, I for one would go as far as stipulating:

1. On one side, if Haiti had to face the unrealistic scenario to choose between investing all grants and loans raised through the rebuilding relief fundraising campaign towards education and health
2. on the other side, adhere to or observe the status-quo as designed by either  USAID, IDB, The World Bank, The European Union and the world powers behind them; in a blink of an eye, I would have elected the first option”. 

While ineffectiveness from international oversight has been considerably and visibly evident in Haiti during the past 25 years, obviously shaped by the politics of exclusion of Haitian leadership in the decision-making process; it raises some concerns that the same group of actors would suddenly position to resolve and implement single-handedly how to secure the best interests of the Haitian people without their full and complete participation, by adopting and promoting the same past failed strategies? Consequently, a paradigm shift is warranted at this juncture to yield effective and sustainable outcomes.

My stance on “participation” is rather one of a constructive approach within a progressive framework. In modern terms, this concept would be construed and described as empowerment. But how does a development plan encourage participation, or better yet, how can it promote empowerment if “Education” does not constitute as the centerpiece and conduit through which its attributes or goals are to be achieved? Shockingly, how can education be considered just an option when it has been documented and proven visibly and credibly for centuries that the road to human development and sustainable growth points to none other than education?

Encouraging and implementing investments in education and health should be positioned as key economic drivers to renew a Haitian society where its citizenry is productive and constructive, can release its imagination and ingenuity, innovation and creativity.  Until then, would Haitians be empowered to build and shape a country of their own fit, with a sense of unity, purpose and urgency that have escaped them since January 1804?

Marc Saint-Joy, Economist

Chief Executive Officer

marcsaintjoy@haitiglobalinvestments.org

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

On Tuesday January 12, 2010 at 4:53pm local time, Haiti and its people suffered from the most devastated natural catastrophe ever in their history: an earthquake of epic proportion. Its collateral damage could not go unnoticed as it painted a dark picture and a dire sense of the level of unprecedented destruction of human, physical, and economic capital. The staggering official estimates consisted of:

• 222,570 people killed.
• 300,000 injured habitants.
• 1.3 million Internally Displaced People or IDPs.
• 97,294 homes destroyed.
• 188,383 damaged properties in the greater Port-au-Prince area and in much of Southern Haiti.
• 25 million cubic yards of debris
• 80% Unemployment
• Total value of damage and losses at 120% of 2009 GDP or US$7.804 Billion

Surprisingly, a regrettable occurrence included the deaths of at least 4 people killed by a related tsunami in the Petit Paradis locality near the city of Leogane, the epicenter of the earthquake. Moreover, tsunami waves were also reported in the cities of Jacmel, Les Cayes, Petit Goave, Leogane, Luly and Anse a Galets. 

Although the earthquake was felt throughout the Caribbean basin, however, its impact was felt more forcefully in Port-au-Prince and its surrounding areas, and as far away as the Vieux Bourg d'Aquin and Port-de-Paix.  Overall, it has been reported that the earthquake had killed a quarter of a million people on that day; injured another quarter of a million, and caused massive infrastructure damages.

Before the earthquake, many leading and reputable global institutions such as, the World Bank, USAID, and the PNUD presented a grim view and data on Haiti, as illustrated below:

Population:    9,035,536

                        0-14 years: 38.1%

                     15-64 years: 58.5%

            65 years and over:  3.4%

                     Median Age: 20.5

Infant Mortality Rate

• 58.07 deaths per 1,000 live births.
• 6% of infants die within the first year.
• 8% of children die before reaching their 5th birthday.

The most common causes of death among children have been malaria (which can be prevented and eradicated with the distribution of chloraquin), diarrhea (which can be prevented through clean sources of water) and pneumonia (which could be greatly reduced with increased access to health care).

While the death rate among children in Haiti has remained tragically high, because of concerted efforts by the State General Hospital and other NGOs the death rate has fallen dramatically in the past 30 years. However, in 1980, a staggering 19.5% of children died before the age of five.

Life Expectancy

• 60.8 years.
• 18.5% of adults die before the age of 40. Many die from infections and diseases that could have been easily cured. The high death rate among adults sadly results in a large number of orphaned children with no one to care for them.

Education

• Adult Literacy Rate (age 15 and over): 52.9%.
• Education Expenditures: 1.4% of GDP
• 65% of Haitian children will receive some schooling. However, only 35% will complete primary school and a mere 20% will attend a secondary school.
• Only 10% of schools in Haiti are public. While tuition at the private schools is relatively low (just $100 a year), the majority of Haitian families are unable to afford to send their children to school.

To better grasp the impact of this catastrophic magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, one must remember Haiti's recent history as it’s been marked by frequent natural catastrophes leaving its landscape considerably more vulnerable. Case in point, in 1994, the country was ravaged by tropical storm Gordon which left more than a thousand deaths. Four years later, it suffered from hurricane George and more than 200 habitants were killed. Additionally, in 2004 many key Haitian cities were devastated by hurricane Jeanne resulting in 3000 deaths and thousands of victims of many sorts. Regretfully, less than two years ago, a set of tropical storms respectively named Gustav, Hanna and Ike also left Haiti with more than 300 deaths, thousands of homeless, and a damaged infrastructure.  

In its 2006 annual report, the World Bank acknowledged the vulnerability of the country facing natural catastrophes, as it stated and originally quoted in French” Haïti est l’un des pays les plus vulnérables aux catastrophes naturelles. Son extrême vulnérabilité face à ces événements résulte de niveaux de pauvreté élevés, d’une infrastructure inadaptée, d’un environnement dégradé et d’une série de gouvernements inefficaces confrontés à de graves problèmes fiscaux”. In other words, Haiti is one of the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters. And sadly, its extreme vulnerability to these events is mainly due to high levels of poverty, inadequate infrastructure, a degraded environment and a series of ineffective governments with serious fiscal problems.

In response to some of the above challenges, as Haiti Global Investments participated and debated in a range of key reconstruction dialogues that followed the January 12, 2010 earthquake, our team has found immense interest and urgency to effectively expose the needs of countless relative to the collapsed educational system in Haiti. Our determination to engage in and advocate for faster, stronger and more sustainable relief in the educational system within the current rebuilding stage was particularly reinforced when HGI met, and closely listened to the plight of University owners, Deans of Universities, School Principals, teachers, students and parents alike in Haiti. Our staff came to the beliefs that education had yet received the necessary and deserved attention, and urgent focus from the world community.  As the paradigm shifted, our team concluded such a lack of emphasis to be a potential major risk to the future of the newly reconstructed Haiti. Consequently, Haiti Global Investments embraced its rightful mandate to further create awareness to the essential role of education within the process, and assist in its strong restoration, sustainable development and improvement in Haiti.

As supported and illustrated by the educational expert and international acclaimed author, Cassandra Clifford in her illuminating report, Education in Haiti six months after the earthquake: “Schools act as a safe-haven for children and help them deal with the heavy stress that follows disaster, as many children suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome. It is essential that Haitian children return to school as quickly as possibly, and while temporary means are obviously to be sought as the country continues to dig itself out from the rubble, international efforts must seek to insure that the country’s educational system is rebuilt”.

The urgency to rehabilitate the Haitian educational system and rebuild private schools and universities after the aftermath of the January 12, 2010 earthquake would greatly address the following scathing report, in reference to a 2009-2010 study on Health and Education in Haiti, as referred to above: “Adult Literacy (age 15 and over): 52.9%. 65% of Haitian children will receive some schooling. However, only 35% will complete primary school and a mere 20% will attend a secondary school. Only 10% of schools in Haiti are public. While tuition at the private schools is relatively low, just $100 a year, the majority of Haitian families are unable to afford to send their children to school”.

Furthermore, six months after the lamentable devastating earthquake, the CIS (Center for International Studies) gathered in Washington DC, along with other international partners such as the USAID, the European Union and a number of NGOs to acknowledge and commemorate six months of progress on the field; all the while, rubble and collapsed buildings still dominated the landscape, and Haitians of all ages and social groups are still facing life and death decisions on a daily basis. Contrary to the above progress account, still to this day, the children of Haiti have no clue on whether their schools will traditionally re-open come school reopening in October 2010?

Despite the lack of involvement of private Haitian banks and governmental financial institutions in educational funding affecting more than five hundred thousand (500,000) school-aged children unable to attend school; in addition to private schools and Universities also lacking access to those same funding sources, the latter had constituted as key components and economic engine employing more that 80% of the country’s educational workforce, as they played the leading role in educating more that 90% of all Haitians on their school and university campuses.

Regrettably, the majority of them had lost all of their assets and watched their buildings collapsed during the devastating earthquake which rendered them non-operational for the foreseeable future. In light of their essential roles in educating Haiti’s children, one might ask: what course of action can they exercise to mitigate and address those systematic losses? Undeniably, it is only fitting that the rebuilding efforts take into account adequate funding and assistance in any shape or form to help rebuild those schools to secure the sustainable relief of the Haitian educational system in its entire dimension.  

Shaped by the gloomy reality encountered and faced by private schools and universities on where to seek assistance for sustainable financial support to fulfill their vocation and meet their obligations, HGI has taken a leadership role by advocating for more awareness on the gravity of the impact of the January 12, 2010 earthquake on the Haitian educational system?  Thus, Haiti Global Investments strongly stands by the Association of Private Schools of Haiti (ADEPH), the Union of Private Universities of Haiti (UUPH), the Collective of Private Schools in the Western Region (COLEPVO), school and University owners, teachers, professors, parents, and particularly Haitian students as a whole to raise funds for the rebuilding of damaged and destroyed schools and universities in Haiti.

I- THE STATUS OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM PRIOR TO JANUARY 12, 2010

A- The Schools

One of the key facts in the educational system in Haiti is that 85% of the schools are private and non-regulated, where they are largely concentrated in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. The vast majority of them receive little or no oversight by the Government of Haiti. While many private schools are unproductive, have little to no money to cover staff expenses, and carry few teaching materials, they make up the backbone of this important system which has been essential to the educational development of Haitian children. 

As pivotal as the private educational sector is to the Haitian population, the challenges that made up the system prior to January 12, 2010 cannot go unnoticed, for educational enrollment, completion, and a 62.1 literacy rate have been by far the lowest in the Caribbean region, according to a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) report in 2009. Moreover, when children attended school, they have faced several obstacles to learning, for teaching staff has been disproportionate, meagerly remunerated and received inadequate training. Aside of the few elite schools, the majority of schools have consistently remained in poor conditions. The basic lack of adequate classrooms in the country has forced Haitian schools to increase classroomcapacity well beyond international standards in most categories, where usually an overload of students became the rule and not the exception. Only the most elite schools provided textbooks and computers to their privileged student body. Despite these challenges and the wide variation of quality education in the private sector, the majority of Haitian families have largely sent their children to private schools as they have commandingly performed, provided greater results, and greater accountability than the public sector.

B- The Universities

The root of Haiti's private universities and poor higher education sector began in the late 1900’s and continued to this day, when Haiti’s elite shunned the development of local universities and opted instead to study abroad.

Such a development brought about a university system composed mainly of sixty private institutions in addition to fifteen public universities including the State University of Haiti, which altogether served 25000 to 30000 students according to a study issued by the Union of Private Universities of Haiti (UUPH) in 2010. Aside of a few private universities scattered in the Northern and Southern areas of Haiti, all the institutions have been primarily located in Port-au-Prince, the capital city. A selective few offered degrees in Medicine, Dentistry, Psychology, Pharmacy, Ethnology, Veterinary Sciences, Agriculture, Law, Engineering, while others opted for more Liberal Arts disciplines, such as, Business Administration, Education, Economics, Linguistics, International studies, African studies amongst others.

Some key findings by the International Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie did not bode well regarding the conditions of private universities of Haiti, as it has illustrated some troubling details about the pre-quake university sector:

• A university professor earns, on average, less than a bricklayer.
• Only 11% of Haiti's university teachers hold a doctorate.
• Only two professors in the entire country are qualified to oversee a doctoral thesis.
• More than 15,000 Haitians are enrolled in Dominican Republic universities.
• The government allocates only 0.4% of its budget to higher education.
• Of the 200 higher education institutions in Haiti only 47 can issue government-approved diplomas.

Moreover, before the devastating earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, the country had no ministry or governmental agency dedicated to the higher education sector – A much needed funding agency to fund and implement research, whether public or private, was non-existent; while the majority of the country’s private universities operated without proper accreditation and oversight. Despite those deficiencies, Haiti's higher education sector was considered among the finest in the Antilles, as it graduated some of the brightest minds who performed admirably throughout the region and elsewhere; however, amid political instability, the sector has been lagging and an avalanche of private universities have mushroomed around the capital to accommodate more students who encountered difficulties gaining admission to the State University of Haiti and professional schools.

C- The Professional Schools

At this educational stage, there have been also some concerns regarding relevancy in the higher education sector. Professional schools reflected many similar faults found at other levels: insufficiency or too few institutions, centralization, a stagnant curriculum, and lack of uniformity in their programs. Research centers have been non-existent as well, while testing and assessment instruments have not proven to create much of an impact within the sector.

Some examples of professional schools included the Ecole Normale Supérieure d’Haiti which has trained primarily teachers at their facilities. Their three year program consisted of a concentration on a chosen subject or subjects of the applicants’ selection, in addition to a formation in teaching strategies. In total, six teachers’ schools have been accounted for in the country. Additional schools included the Julien Craan School of Commerce, the Institut Supérieur Technique d’Haiti, better known as the Leconte School of Accounting, the Laroche Accounting School, and Foyer Des Arts Plastics - a fine Haitian Art School to name a few. There have been other schools which also offered specialized training in Accounting, Secretariat Administration, Computers, Midwifery, Nursing programs, Electricity, Plumbing and Masonry construction.

II- THE IMPACT OF THE JANUARY 12, 2010 EARTHQUAKE ON PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES

A- Structural and Infrastructural impacts

The earthquake created a huge challenge to an already weak education structure in Haiti. The sight of schoolchildren in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas walking amidst the rubble to get to their classrooms, many of them under tents, illustrated one of these challenges. Moreover, the earthquake destroyed an estimated 4,228 schools as well as the Ministry of Education building itself, leading to the deaths of around 38,000 students, 1,347 teachers, and 180 education personnel, based on a recent assessment by the Government of Haiti.

Though worth pointing out, the earthquake clearly amplified the weaknesses of an education structure long established as a long-term challenge, as its impact was already preceded by a lack of government investments in the development of education training instructors.

 The university sector became weaker, and is not meeting the international standards of universities in general. Overall, Haiti'seducational structure has been totally discombobulated, and thus contributed to the eradication of the bare minimum most societies would expect of their educational system, emphatically recognized as the most important instrument to achieve sustainable development in the country.

The majority of private schools and university facilities in Haiti were demolished by the devastating earthquake, as it destroyed an estimated 4,228 schools, based on a report issued by the Government of Haiti. The collateral damage had particularly eradicated any progress undertaken by many in the university community, as it flattened scores of classrooms, ruined libraries and laboratories, etc…According to the International French-speaking university association, Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie figures, Haiti's nine universities that are members of the regional Caribbean association, CORPUCA, lost 80% of their infrastructure.

Even seven months after the earthquake, besides being an environmental and health hazard, debris blocked, slowed travel, and hampered access to school and university roads in many parts of Port-au-Prince. Thus, debris removal would constitute as the first critical step towards schools and universities reconstruction.  Until the debris are removed and properly discarded, school children and students overall, will not be able to cope and return to their accustomed educational communities.

B- Social Impact

• The quake decimated the lives of 38000 students, 1347 teachers and professors, 180 education personnel, and 20 non-academic staff, affecting countless relatives.
• Many schoolchildren, students, teachers, professors, academic and non-academic personnel have been internally displaced from their communities.
• Students, and particularly school-children have suffered trauma as instability and uncertainties reigned after the earthquake.
• Massive urban-rural migration has put additional strains on school-children.
• Very few students had returned to classes, albeit under simple plywood shelters.
• Countless professors, students, and educators fled and immigrated to foreign countries, hence contributing to the brain drain of local communities.

D- Economic Impact

• The Union of Private Universities (UUPH) has estimated it would cost $600 million over the next 10 years to rebuild the system and make it better than it had been.
• Some estimates predict the next year and a half of debris management could cost around $300 million.
• Loss of incomes for parents to meet school tuition obligations due to heavy personal losses.
• Several thousands of teachers, school owners, university owners and staff support employed by the education industry can no longer provide for their families and for themselves. Considering the absence or lack thereof of insurance coverage on real estate, businesses and other goods in Haiti, the collapse of a school facility is equivalent to an absolute and total loss for its owner.

III-THE RISKS OF NEGLECTING PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES

A- School-aged children would fall by the numbers toward the poignant reality of the ruthless streets.

B- The workforce employed by both sectors would suffer in many ways: socially, economically and existentially.

C- The rebuilding efforts would lack key sustainable partners, and diminish its value if education does not play a central role in the reconstruction efforts?

D- Loss of vital sites and testing facilities for the Ministry of National Education and Professional Formation (MENFP) to administer critical national examinations.

E- Loss of traditional evacuation shelters for the Government and the country during tropical storms, and hurricane seasons.

IV-PROPOSAL ON STEPS WORTH TAKEN TO ACCELERATE THE REBUILDING EFFORTS

A- Foster a constructive dialogue between Haitian government officials and private schools and universities representatives.

B- Facilitate the assessment of and the remedy for the damages inflicted on private schools and universities infrastructures by the devastating earthquake.

C- Assist private school and university owners’ associations to identify various donors and lenders that are willing to provide assistance and support.

  V- PROPOSITIONS TO REVITALIZE THE UNIVERSITY SECTOR

• Removing rubble as the first psychological and critical step.
• Erecting green, hurricane proofs, and modern earthquake-resistant campuses based on international university models
• Funding scholarships for students to finish their current studies.
• Bringing in volunteer teaching staff, preferably retired professors on a pro-bono basis to complement permanent staff.
• Implementing advanced training for professors, and development of faculty
• Building state-of-the art libraries and research facilities to facilitate academic research, and implement a modernized and universal curriculum
• Establishing an authoritative cabinet level governmental agency of higher education within the Ministry of National Education and Professional Formation (MENFP) to standardize and improve oversight of universities and professional schools.
• Establishing classrooms and laboratories equipped with banks of computers with internet service to offer continuing and distance education.
• Establishing an independent and autonomous research-funding agency to help develop and conduct scientific applied research.

VI- PROPOSITIONS TO REJUVENATE THE PRIVATE SCHOOL SECTOR

• Removing rubble as the first psychological and critical step.
• Erecting green and new hurricane proofs, and modern earthquake-resistant structures.
• Modernizing the private schools and their teaching methods and tools.
• Creating and subsidizing a tuition waiver program for underprivileged school-children.
• Subsidizing transport to private schools.
• Subsidizing food programs for school children.
• Plan and implement a stronger and more competitive education curriculum.
• Professional training for teaching staff.
• Establishing laboratories equipped with banks of computers with internet service to help improve learning.

VII-THE IMMEDIATE MATERIAL AND FINANCIAL NEEDS NECESSARY TO RENEW HOPE IN THE PRIVATE SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY SECTORS

A- Equipments to remove the debris and clean-up the space.

B- Professional and technical assistance.

C- Raising adequate seed capital to meet the immediate financial needs of reconstruction such as: debris removal, feasibility studies, etc…

D- Raising available funds to meet the immediate and long-term financial needs of struggling private schools and universities

Appendix: Haiti Global Investments

Mission

Our mission is to contribute to the development of a new Haiti through the creation of sustainable reconstruction, and long-term strategically-placed investments conceived from strategic partnerships. We are a growing network of interrelated businesses which strives to meet the needs of our sophisticated clientele for total value by offering a unique package of effective business planning and services. Our team is poised to provide one-stop progressive economic development services through partnerships on behalf of clients and the global business community.

Background

Haiti Global Investments was formed in August 2009 to provide the local and Diaspora Haitian Business community a conduit to private business support services and strategic advisory services. After the January 12th earthquake, HGI has refocused its talents to the reconstruction of Haiti.

The current need for business consulting is driven by the proliferation of stakeholders yearning to participate in the Reconstruction of Haiti.  Consequently, HGI has entered into a partnership with the Union of Private Universities of Haiti (UUPH), in addition to the Collective of Private Schools in the Western Region (COLEPVO), and the Association of Private Schools of Haiti (ADEPH). Our team of experts is positioned to provide all stakeholders, whether private, educational, institutional, non-governmental, and governmental, valuable services by working in tandem with the International Community; the ad hoc support to their organizations for a seamless conclusion of their objectives.

Marc Saint-Joy, Economist                                                                         

Chief Executive Officer                                                                

marcsaintjoy@haitiglobalinvestments.org

Huswald Timothee, MBA

Chief Financial Officer

huswaldtimothee@haitiglobalinvestments.org