Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies
More than 33 percent of this youthful country is of school
age (five to eighteen years); the number is estimated at
2,460,160 for the year 1995. Statistics on enrollment show relatively
little evidence of gender discrimination in enrollment;
girls make up 48 percent of the enrollment in both primary
and secondary schools. Some evidence exists of changing patterns
in which families enroll all or nearly all of their children
in school rather than sending just one or two as has been
reported in the past.
There is a strong urban bias in both the quality of education
and in access to schools. Only 23 percent of rural children have
access to formal education compared to more than 90 percent
of urban children of school age. Furthermore, only 20 percent
of educational expenditures goes to rural areas where the vast
majority of the population lives. At the secondary school level,
82 percent of schools are located in urban areas and 55 percent
of all secondary school enrollment is in the Port-au-Prince
area.
For more than a decade, Haiti's protracted political crisis
caused sporadic disruption of school operations, especially
during the years 1986-88 and 1991-94. Despite this turbulence,
school enrollment has grown tremendously overall.
Since 1988, primary school enrollment has increased by 39 percent
in public schools and 103 percent in private schools. During
this same period, secondary school enrollment increased
by 198 percent in public schools and 93 percent in private
schools; however, only 15 percent of those between the ages of
twelve and eighteen were enrolled in school in 1996-97.
This growth in enrollment takes place in a context of high
illiteracy and immense demand, especially by the poor majority,
who invest heavily in education despite meager resources.
Estimates of illiteracy range from 47 to 80 percent. Illiteracy in
Haiti is far higher than in other countries in the region, which
average 15 percent.
The Ministry of National Education, Youth, and Sports sponsors
a program in supplementary education, including literacy
training. Most non-formal training in Haiti is offered by nongovernmental
organizations and focuses primarily on adult literacy,
community organization skills, civic education, public
health, and various types of community development.
Primary Schools
The school year begins in October and ends in July, with two-
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