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From VOA Learning English, |
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this is the Education Report. |
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Haiti is among the poorest nations in the world, |
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only about half the children in the country |
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go to primary school. |
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And the United Nations children's agency UNICEF says, |
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fewer than 25 percent attend secondary school. |
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Many Haitian schools are in poor condition. |
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They lack running water and dependable electricity. |
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The United States Institute of Peace |
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has called the education system in Haiti "dysfunctional", |
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it says reforms and financial assistance are badly needed. |
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Last week, U.S. Education Secretary, Arne Duncan |
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visited Haiti to discuss its education system. |
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He met with Haitian President Michel Martelly. |
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Mr Martelly was elected in 2011, |
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he is working on his campaign promise |
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to make education required and free of charge for every child. |
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Mr Duncan announced that the U.S. Agency |
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for International Development(USAID) will invest |
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millions of dollars to improve Haiti's education system. |
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The agency will invest the money through its Room to Learn program, |
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a program seeks to increase equality in opportunities for education. |
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Mr Duncan said the United States |
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will also provide technical assistance to Haiti's Education Ministry. |
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The American Education Secretary spoke |
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with VOA's Creole Service after he returned to the U.S. |
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He said Haitian lawmakers are considering legislation |
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that would expand funding for education. |
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He said that if the measure passes, |
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the law would be hugely important. |
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Mr Duncan talked about his visits to several schools in Haiti, |
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these included a school for children who live on the street. |
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Mr Duncan praised the students for their courage |
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and their efforts to gain a better life. |
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"To hear their stories of why they are working so hard, |
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and why they want to get off the streets |
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- I'll never forget it," said Duncan. |
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Mr Duncan noted that many children lost parents in the 2010 earthquake. |
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Another school he visited had 110 students in a single classroom. |
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He also said it is very rare for Haitian school to have computers. |
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However, he said most students are able to get a meal at school. |
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For many, that is their only meal of the day. |
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In his interview with the Creole Service, |
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Mr Duncan also talked about language use in Haitian schools. |
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The country has two official languages - Creole and French. |
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Most Haitians speak Creole but most schools use French. |
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Mr Duncan said he believes this situation |
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is difficult for children who learn Creole at home. |
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"And I think that for other challenges students are facing, |
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when their teacher speaking a different language from use, |
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that can be pretty hard," said Duncan. |
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He praised an experimental program |
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that teaches reading in Creole in about 300 schools. |
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Mr Duncan also noted the importance of having good data to help schools. |
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He said there is a need for collecting more basic information |
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like the number of schools, the number of teachers |
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and how the student are progressing. |
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And that's the Education Report from VOA Learning English. |
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I'm Avi Arditti. |