Grant Provides Teacher Training In Haiti

By Kaitlyn Nuebel

In Haiti, only 60% of children complete primary school, and many schools lack well-trained teachers. BBF, in partnership with Food for the Poor and P4h Global, provided teachers with the training they need to help their students succeed.

From laptops in classrooms in Pittsburgh to solar panels on sustainable schools in Ghana, Brother’s Brother Foundation has provided a wide range of resources to improve education around the globe. Some regions, however, need resources beyond materials.

Roughly 60% of children in Haiti do not finish primary school, which students typically attend from ages 6 to 12. In addition, according to the World Bank, approximately 80% of Haitian educators don’t have adequate training and 25% have not completed secondary school, usually finished by age 19. Consequently, many Haitian students aren’t exposed to modern teaching methods.

BBF, in partnership with Food for the Poor (FFTP) and P4h Global, implemented a program to train teachers on the knowledge and skills they need to help their students succeed. A grant provided by BBF has helped 38 schools create more engaging lesson plans and classroom environments for their students. Teachers had the opportunity to be observed in the classroom and receive one-on-one feedback from an education trainer afterward. In the months that followed, teachers continued to be assisted through virtual training sessions.

Cheridor Ernaud, a teacher from Lekol Evanjelik batiste de Bordes in Milot, says the program has taught teachers effective methods to engage and discipline their students. He also credits it for refocusing teachers’ missions in the classroom.

“Many Haitian teachers see money before anything else. But you all are helping us see we can do more than just make money in a classroom,” Ernaud says.