Haiti to benefit from multi-million dollar USAID education programme

WASHINGTON, Nov.10, CMC – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced a multi-million dollar “Room to Learn” programme for Haiti.



Christie Vilsack, recently traveled to Haiti with US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, to outline details of the programme that will focus on making education accessible for all children in Haiti.



“Worldwide, 57 million children are out of school, and hundreds of thousands of primary-school-age children in Haiti do not have access to education,” USAID said.



Haiti is one of six “focus countries” for the “Room to Learn” initiative, “which is designed to increase equitable access to quality education.”



“Through ‘Room to Learn,’ USAID aims to accelerate progress towards Millennium Development Goal 2, universal access to primary education,” the statement said.



Vilsack stated “Room to Learn” is about “providing safe access to schools, rebuilding education systems, and preventing and mitigating the effects of conflict and crisis.”



She said USAID is working with ministries and global partners to provide access to education for millions of out-of-school children “so they have the opportunity to learn to read and build the foundations for their success in school and beyond.”



Duncan also visited a USAID-funded early grade reading program being implemented in 300 schools in Haiti.