| [00:00.00] |
From VOA Learning English, |
| [00:02.01] |
this is the Education Report. |
| [00:04.97] |
Haiti is among the poorest nations in the world, |
| [00:08.83] |
only about half the children in the country |
| [00:11.73] |
go to primary school. |
| [00:13.73] |
And the United Nations children's agency UNICEF says, |
| [00:18.65] |
fewer than 25 percent attend secondary school. |
| [00:23.31] |
Many Haitian schools are in poor condition. |
| [00:26.87] |
They lack running water and dependable electricity. |
| [00:31.70] |
The United States Institute of Peace |
| [00:34.26] |
has called the education system in Haiti "dysfunctional", |
| [00:38.56] |
it says reforms and financial assistance are badly needed. |
| [00:43.05] |
Last week, U.S. Education Secretary, Arne Duncan |
| [00:47.54] |
visited Haiti to discuss its education system. |
| [00:51.64] |
He met with Haitian President Michel Martelly. |
| [00:55.19] |
Mr Martelly was elected in 2011, |
| [00:58.59] |
he is working on his campaign promise |
| [01:01.45] |
to make education required and free of charge for every child. |
| [01:07.41] |
Mr Duncan announced that the U.S. Agency |
| [01:10.76] |
for International Development(USAID) will invest |
| [01:13.97] |
millions of dollars to improve Haiti's education system. |
| [01:18.72] |
The agency will invest the money through its Room to Learn program, |
| [01:24.23] |
a program seeks to increase equality in opportunities for education. |
| [01:30.22] |
Mr Duncan said the United States |
| [01:33.07] |
will also provide technical assistance to Haiti's Education Ministry. |
| [01:38.83] |
The American Education Secretary spoke |
| [01:42.24] |
with VOA's Creole Service after he returned to the U.S. |
| [01:47.09] |
He said Haitian lawmakers are considering legislation |
| [01:51.06] |
that would expand funding for education. |
| [01:54.06] |
He said that if the measure passes, |
| [01:56.51] |
the law would be hugely important. |
| [01:59.51] |
Mr Duncan talked about his visits to several schools in Haiti, |
| [02:04.28] |
these included a school for children who live on the street. |
| [02:08.84] |
Mr Duncan praised the students for their courage |
| [02:12.63] |
and their efforts to gain a better life. |
| [02:15.39] |
"To hear their stories of why they are working so hard, |
| [02:18.25] |
and why they want to get off the streets |
| [02:20.79] |
- I'll never forget it," said Duncan. |
| [02:23.46] |
Mr Duncan noted that many children lost parents in the 2010 earthquake. |
| [02:30.12] |
Another school he visited had 110 students in a single classroom. |
| [02:36.34] |
He also said it is very rare for Haitian school to have computers. |
| [02:42.09] |
However, he said most students are able to get a meal at school. |
| [02:47.45] |
For many, that is their only meal of the day. |
| [02:50.86] |
In his interview with the Creole Service, |
| [02:54.27] |
Mr Duncan also talked about language use in Haitian schools. |
| [02:59.27] |
The country has two official languages - Creole and French. |
| [03:05.27] |
Most Haitians speak Creole but most schools use French. |
| [03:11.16] |
Mr Duncan said he believes this situation |
| [03:14.30] |
is difficult for children who learn Creole at home. |
| [03:17.80] |
"And I think that for other challenges students are facing, |
| [03:22.23] |
when their teacher speaking a different language from use, |
| [03:26.35] |
that can be pretty hard," said Duncan. |
| [03:27.98] |
He praised an experimental program |
| [03:30.88] |
that teaches reading in Creole in about 300 schools. |
| [03:35.88] |
Mr Duncan also noted the importance of having good data to help schools. |
| [03:42.01] |
He said there is a need for collecting more basic information |
| [03:46.14] |
like the number of schools, the number of teachers |
| [03:49.68] |
and how the student are progressing. |
| [03:52.17] |
And that's the Education Report from VOA Learning English. |
| [03:57.25] |
I'm Avi Arditti. |
