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Report on the operation of the Saint-Alphonse School - Cité soleil - School year 2023-2024

Writer's picture: dputhiot@yahoo.frdputhiot@yahoo.fr

This school year was able to take place more or less normally in the Cité Soleil where the situation was calmer compared to last year while outside, gangs reigned terror among the population. Kidnappings, shootings, robberies, thefts, rapes multiplied. The peak of these exactions took place during the months of February and March with attacks on banking, state, school, private institutions, etc.


In the Plaine, the gangs waged a merciless neighborhood war starting in January, causing many casualties and house fires. This led to several weeks of dysfunction of the Plaine annex. Transportation was much more difficult, especially to get to the Cité Soleil and between it and the Fourjy annex. Many students were prevented from going to school.


Here are the student numbers for the 2023-2024 school year:

Classes

Boys

Girls

Total

Dropouts during the year

Effective at the end of the year

Prescol A

14

33

47

18

29

Preschool B

17

10

27

6

21

Preschool C

13

24

37

9

28

Total Pres.

44

67

111

33

78

1st Year

24

19

43

12

31

2nd Year

26

24

50

6

44

3rd Year

16

10

26

1

25

4th Year

20

17

37

3

34

5th Year

07

13

20

0

20

6th Year

11

17

28

8

20

7th Year

21

19

40

2

38

8th Year

11

11

22

4

18

Total Fund.

136

130

266

36

230

Total gen.

180

197

377

69

308

 

Note that the numbers at the end of the 2022-2023 school year were:

Preschool 53 students out of 62

Fundamental 203 students out of 242, including 151 who passed the exams

Total 256 students out of 304

There has therefore been an increase in numbers this school year 2023-2024 with a total of 308 students out of 377.


The examinations were able to take place without major difficulties in the Cité Soleil, as follows:

1st check: from October 25 to 31

2nd period from December 18 to 22

3rd period from March 21 to 27

4th control from June 23 to June 28


Results of the end-of-year exams 2023-2024

Classes

Boys

Girls

Total

Success

% successful.

Preschool A

11

18

29

29

100

Preschool B

14

07

21

21

100

Preschool C

08

20

28

28

100

Total Pres.

33

45

78

78

100

1st Year

17

14

31

25

81

2nd Year

21

23

44

28

64

3rd Year

15

10

25

20

80

4th Year

17

17

24

24

71

5th Year

07

13

20

16

80

6th Year

08

12

20

17

85

7th Year

20

18

38

30

79

8th Year

08

10

18

14

78

Total Fund.

113

117

230

174

76%

Total gen.

146

162

308

252

82%

 

Parents' meetings with the distribution of notebooks took place on Sunday, November 19, for the 1st inspection, on Sunday, January 14 for the 2nd inspection, on Sunday, April 14 for the 3rd inspection and for the 4th inspection it will be on July 21.

 

During this school year, the biggest difficulty was transportation inside the Cité Soleil and outside, either to go to the Saint-Alphonse school, or for some secondary school students to go to the Fourgy annex, located about 5 km from the Saint-Alphonse school in the Cité Soleil. Travel for students but also for teachers and members of the management was the biggest challenge more than insecurity, inside the Cité Soleil, as well as for parents in their daily activities.


The canals bordering the Linthau project have never been cleaned and cleared, the streets and access roads are continually flooded with a thickness of nauseating mud. Travel is done either by van, when security allows, by motorbike, by roundabout and very expensive routes (about 100 gourdes for a van round trip to the entrance of the city, 500 gourdes round trip by motorbike), or on foot by removing your shoes. In heavy rain, travel is practically impossible. In terms of health, it is very difficult, there is no longer a health center inside the Cité Soleil apart from a few small initiatives. We find very common diseases such as digestive problems, parasites, skin problems, infections, fevers, malaria and always cholera. These diseases are favored by the feeding difficulties and the weaknesses they cause.


The school's dispensary, open only to students, is not sufficiently stocked with medicines and basic equipment. These have become very expensive and are not always available. Students are therefore not adequately monitored and treated for the many illnesses encountered.


The Saint-Alphonse School organized various activities for the students, even without much means, to forget a little the difficult living and learning conditions. A recreational day on October 17, death of Jean Jacques Dessalines, a day of colors on November 17, battle of Vertières, an end-of-year party was organized on December 22, a carnival day on February 9, a day of colors on May 1, a recreational day for the flag festival on Friday, May 17, as well as a party for the graduation of the preschool section, on Sunday, June 30. An inter-class football championship, from the 4th AF to the 8th AF was organized during the second and third quarters to brighten up the training a little during breaks. The 7th AF class was crowned champion, the 4th AF and 8th AF classes are vice-champions.






Teachers have to spend every day to come to work. The difficulties are multiple, the travel in muddy terrain, the high cost of living, food, illnesses, ... Despite the increase at the beginning of the school year, they do not receive their salaries regularly enough to meet their obligations and devote themselves more fully to education. Fortunately, they have the possibility of eating at the school canteen.


The school canteen, organized this year at Cité Soleil thanks to the generous funding of APAM, was a blessing for the students and all the school employees. Most parents cannot feed their children regularly. Often, they return home in the evening completely destitute. Most families are very vulnerable, living from day to day, not even able to take care of themselves in case of illness. This explains the many cases of dropouts during the school year.




With the numerous rains and floods recorded inside the school itself, many school furniture items are damaged, such as the benches and chairs of the preschool and primary sections, the teachers' chairs and desks, the management's gates, the toilets and the entrance gate. The walls of the classrooms and galleries are too dirty and urgently need to be repainted.


Parents have too much difficulty buying school books and classroom materials, which makes it even more difficult for students to learn and for teachers to work.


The school year ended at the end of June, not having the means to continue during the month of July as recommended by the Ministry of National Education, apart from the 9th grade and Philosophy classes for the official exams on July 22 and August 5. For the 2024-2025 school year, it is planned to keep the 9th fundamental year at the Cité Soleil to avoid students having to travel to La Plaine.


The results of the 9th year for the Cité Soleil are 100% success for 31 students. Those of Philo, on the other hand, are not good, the work difficulties are too difficult at this level. The results are 7 passed out of 22 students presented, i.e. a success rate of only 32%.


We hope that this year will be safer and more conducive to studies.


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