The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced a USD18 million (mn) project to improve the quality of, and access to, basic education in Haiti for 68,000 students, particularly those who live in poor and vulnerable communities.

It is part of a wider programme of support for the enhancement of basic education in Haiti. The components of the CDB project are aligned with those of the World Bank, which is the primary financer of the programme.

“CDB is pleased to partner with the Government of Haiti and the World Bank to improve access to basic education for Haitians. This project has the potential to unlock the creative, innovative, and income-earning potential of a new generation. In the short term, these investments can have positive, direct impacts on social inclusion and income distribution in Haiti, and could set the country on a path to sustainable development driven by education,” said Daniel Best, Director of Projects, CDB.

Limited access to education in Haiti has slowed development. Decades of underinvestment in the human resource capacity of the country has led to a significant skills deficit and high levels of unemployment, poverty and inequality.  Inadequate capacity to manage the education system has emerged as a significant issue. In addition, there is need for greater quality assurance and accountability mechanisms in both public and non-public schools, and the monitoring and evaluation of these mechanisms.

The project will address these needs through five components.

1. Improving institutional capacity and governance by strengthening the technical capacity of relevant units within the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) to improve service delivery and overall educational governance.
2.  Supporting access to quality public primary education in poor and vulnerable communities through the implementation of a community education grants programme; a construction initiative that will create additional primary school places; and a public school improvement model, which will improve access to quality education in selected Departments.
3.  Supporting access to quality non-public primary education in poor and vulnerable communities by developing and implementing quality education access and tuition waiver programmes.
4. Enhancing outcomes in secondary education by assisting in adequately preparing students for completion of the basic education cycle and achieving readiness for transition to the world of work and/or post-secondary and tertiary education.
5. Strengthening project management and monitoring and evaluation by building MENFP’s capacity in these areas.

CDB’s engagement in Haiti’s education sector is informed by its Education and Training Policy and Strategy (2017). The Project is also aligned with the Bank’s strategic objective of supporting inclusive and sustainable growth and development; and its corporate priority of improving the quality of, and access to, education and training.

Since 2008, the Bank, in partnership with the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, has supported the education sector in Haiti. Interventions include investments in basic education, the enhancement of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, and institutional strengthening and capacity-building activities.