Signed a year and a half ago, the vocational training project in Haiti initiated by Aide et Action, the Schneider Electric Group and its Foundation, and their partners[1] following the earthquake of 12 January 2010, has now become a reality. Since October 2011, hundreds of students, teachers, and professionals have been following training courses in the new workshops in Carrefour and Varreux (near Port-au-Prince). In total, they will benefit from 550 hours of courses, spread over 4 to 6 months.
"These workshops mark the beginning of a three-year project to renovate 30 teaching spaces in 20 Haitian vocational centres," explains François Dardé, one of the four teachers sent by the French Ministry of Education to carry out the revival of vocational training in Haiti. "When we arrived, we discovered that training centres existed, but with a crying lack of means," he insists. In total, the students will follow more than 550 hours of courses, spread over 4 to 6 months, in order to actively participate in the reconstruction of the country.
"These workshops mark the beginning of a three-year project to renovate 30 teaching spaces in 20 Haitian centres," explains François Darde, one of the four teacher-trainers sent by the French Ministry of Education to carry out the revival of vocational training in Haiti. "When we arrived, we discovered that training centres existed, but with a crying lack of resources," he insists.
Opening of a new centre on 12 January
Accompanied by Aide et Action's Haitian team, these teachers assessed the needs and approached local companies to strengthen the links with the training sector. Together with the authorities, they worked on the programs and trained more than 70 teachers. The effectiveness of the work carried out is now clearly visible, particularly at the Ouanaminth Centre, which will be inaugurated on 12 January, the two-year anniversary of the earthquake. This centre will enable hundreds of young people to be trained in the electrical industry. The effectiveness of the project is also clearly visible at the Varreux Centre. Still dilapidated a few months ago, this 400m2 centre now has a room for teachers, several classrooms and a practical work area.
In the coming months, there is no shortage of projects: continuing the renovation of the centres, training teachers, developing new teaching offers. But above all, to build a Centre of Excellence in the city of Léogâne itself. The type of teaching provided, the programmes, the training rhythms, the equipment, the surface area... all these aspects have already been considered and agreed upon by the Haitian authorities. The team is now looking for a sufficiently stable plot of land to be able to build without risk.
[1] The French Ministry of National Education, Youth and Associative Life, the Haitian Ministry of National Education, and Quisqueya University