In June 98, less than 8 percent of the students passed the exam. This situation continues today. Perhaps one explanation can be found in the deplorable condition of the public school system. Facilities at public schools are grossly deficient, and in rural areas the public system is virtually non-existent. We also organize an evening forum with guest speakers for a fuller discussion of children's human rights and related issues.
Corporal punishment is common in Haitian schools.
We believe we must challenge the teachers to think about the effects of this practice and to suggest some alternative methods for maintaining order in the classroom. In an article in the Cambridge Reporter , a Haitian teacher explains how participating in the seminar has influenced and inspired her teaching. The first seminar took place in St.- Michel de l'Attalaye, a small village in central Haiti, in July 1998. Approximately 250 participants had pre-registered, but just as many more who had not registered also arrived to take the seminar. Project Teach promised to return and repeat the program in December.