News

In Jacmel, Haiti, Making Schools Accessible For the Disabled

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - July 23, 2014

Above: Gerald Oriol, Jr., Haiti’s Secretary of State for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities (Photo: James English)

By James English
CJ Contributor

LATE LAST month, the Haitian government and USAID inaugurated Ecole Nationale Edèze Gousse and Lycée Célie Lamour, existing primary and secondary schools in Jacmel that were recently rehabilitated into fully handicap-accessible facilities through the installation of items such as ramps, handrails, paved alleyways and adapted toilets.

“Upgrading these schools not only creates opportunities for youths with disabilities but also is a way to sensitize the local community about the need to have all facilities open to the public and other public infrastructure accessible to persons with disabilities in order to facilitate their full integration in society,” said Gerald Oriol, Jr., Haiti’s Secretary of State for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities,

Secretary Oriol, who attended MIT leadership training with other members of the Ministerial Cabinet on the day of the inauguration, toured both schools with his departmental coordinator two days after the ceremony.

The project with USAID, which is funded for approximately $900,000 US dollars, aims to render six schools fully accessible in order to create models of inclusion that other communities throughout Haiti can emulate.

The project also supports a larger government objective of increasing the nation’s school enrollment rate, which the United Nations Development Programme recently reported had increased from 47 percent in 1993 to 88 percent in 2011.

In order to increase enrollment rates further, the government seeks to eliminate barriers to education, particularly for children with disabilities, who have often been excluded from public education due to stigmatization and an inaccessible environment.

According to a statement from the BSEIPH, the agency aims “to ensure that there are regular schools within the cities and provincial towns that are accessible to persons with disabilities so that they have the opportunity to attend school with the least possible challenges and are able to participate actively in the classroom and courtyard and be as autonomous as possible.”

The Bureau for the Secretary of State for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities (BSEIPH) is planning to open a branch office in Jacmel later this month to serve the local disabled population and to advocate for further accessible construction and renovation as the government and private sector develop the historic seaside community into a key tourist destination.

A primary and secondary school in Les Cayes are next for renovation, followed by a primary school in Port-au-Prince and a secondary school in Mirebalais.

USAID and BSEIPH are also exploring the possibility of undertaking infrastructural upgrades at two special education schools in Port-au-Prince.

James English works at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.  His articles on Haiti have appeared in Ability Magazine, the Miami Herald and the Caribbean Journal.

Popular Posts beach house silversands

Why Grenada Is a New Caribbean Luxury Hotspot

From its world-renowned chocolate to its pristine beaches to a region-leading focus on sustainability, Grenada is as fascinating and unique as destination as you’ll find in the Caribbean.  But in the last few years, the lush Eastern Caribberan island has […]


5 Adults-Only Resorts to Visit Right Now in the Caribbean 

galley bay

Sometimes you just want that extra degree of serenity, of privacy, of seclusion. There is a reason, after all, that adults-only resorts are booming in popularity, particularly in the Caribbean: travelers want to know that when they arrive, they know […]


The Best Caribbean Islands to Visit This Summer, From Antigua to St Croix

verandah antigua

We’ve been saying it for years, and we’ll keep saying it: in some ways, the Caribbean is even better in the summer months. The water is warm. It’s a bit less crowded, a little bit quieter. At night, the trade […]


Related Posts nobu los cabos

Frontier Is Adding a New Nonstop Flight to Los Cabos 

It’s one of the most popular hotel destinations in Mexico: Los Cabos, which has seen a broad boom in recent years with the entry to market of brands like Nobu, Thompson, Marriott and Waldorf Astoria, among others.  That has led, […]


This Former Caribbean Rockefeller Resort Is for Sale

caribbean rockefeller resort

In 1986, Laurance Rockefeller, the founder of Rock Resorts, developed 27 acres of prime beachfront land into what was for decades one of the sought after places to stay in the Caribbean. Now, the four-star, 150-room resort is for sale, […]


Vote for the 2024 Caribbean Green Awards, from Green Energy to Sustainable Hotels

caribbean green

Hotels serving organic food grown by local farmers. Airports powered by large solar fields. Pristine coastlines protected by marine parks. Real estate developments fueled by clean energy. It’s an exciting time for the Green movement in the Caribbean, a region […]


SUBSCRIBE!

Sign up for Caribbean Journal's free newsletter for a daily dose of beaches, hotels, rum and the best Caribbean travel information on the net.


No. Thank You