Armed gang violence and growing insecurity have triggered a collapse in Haiti’s education system, forcing hundreds of schools and universities to close across the country, particularly in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.
A new survey by the Haitian Progressive Parents’ Union (UPEPH) revealed that between February and March 2025, 347 private schools and 51 public schools in the capital were completely shut down. The higher education sector has also been devastated: 12 faculties of the State University of Haiti, 50 private universities, seven ministry-supervised training centers, and 29 teacher training colleges have ceased operations. Additionally, 34 vocational training centers in the Port-au-Prince area have closed, cutting off access to critical technical education.
The situation has worsened in recent months. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 1,600 schools were forced to close nationwide between January and May 2025.
UNICEF Representative in Haiti, Geetanjali Narayan, warned of the devastating impact on children’s futures. “UNICEF estimates one in seven children in Haiti is now out of school. And almost one million more are at risk of dropping out,” she said in February. “Education—a last hope for so many Haitian children, and a top priority for parents—has never been more under threat.”
Narayan also raised alarm about the broader consequences of children being out of school. “A child out of school is a child at risk,” she said. “Last year, child recruitment into armed groups surged by 70 per cent. Right now, up to half of all armed group members are children—some as young as eight years old.”
Education advocates say the rapid collapse of learning opportunities could leave an entire generation vulnerable—not only to illiteracy and poverty, but to recruitment by armed groups, exploitation, and long-term trauma.
As the crisis deepens, calls are growing for urgent intervention to protect students, restore safe learning environments, and stabilize Haiti’s education system.
