Saut-Mathurine, Southern Haiti – The Minister of National Education and Vocational Training, H.E. Augustin Antoine, inaugurated two schools this month: Saut-Mathurine and La Colline d’Aquin, both now rebuilt thanks to the partnership between UNICEF and the Government of Japan.
“Education is a fundamental right and a pillar for rebuilding a society,” said the Minister. “Our country, Haiti, needs an educated youth. These schools are a promise – a promise to give every pupil the means to succeed, to dream, and to become the author of their own future.”
These schools, once destroyed by the devastating 2021 earthquake that struck the Great South, will now allow children — from preschool to the third cycle of secondary school — in both communes to access quality education. Each school is equipped with nine classrooms, a two-room preschool module, an administrative office, gender-separated sanitary facilities, a school canteen, and solar panels to ensure a sustainable energy supply.
“In the face of Haiti’s humanitarian crisis, these schools offer much more than education: they are places of refuge for displaced children in the Great South,” said Mr. Nishiuchi Kazuhiko, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Japan. With the support of the Government of Japan, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training and UNICEF, the reconstruction of these schools helps strengthen an already fragile education system. “By making education a priority of its cooperation, Japan reaffirms its commitment to the future of Haitian children.”
In her inaugural speech, UNICEF Representative in Haiti, Ms. Geeta Narayan, praised the essential role of communities in children’s education:
“A school is not just walls,” she said. “It’s a community. It’s a teacher reaching out to a shy pupil. It’s a parent who gets involved. It’s a child who shows up each morning with dreams in their eyes. And today, those dreams are a little closer to reality, thanks to the dedication of these incredible communities, the trust of Japan, and collaboration with the Ministry.”
With the reopening of these two schools, over 1,000 children will regain not only a place to learn but also a safe space to grow, rebuild themselves, and resume their educational journey. In times of crisis, every rehabilitated classroom is a concrete step toward stability and the continuity of learning.
Media Contacts
Salwa Moussa
Chief of Communication and Advocacy
UNICEF
Tel: +509 46971003
Email: samoussa@unicef.org