The women of LCS celebrate their education.

Haiti is indeed known as perhaps the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere, but the country's people, particularly the young generation, is really bent and determined to institute changes and development. Cathy emphasizes and reiterates that she finds teaching in Haiti far better and satisfying than teaching in the United States. Surely, there is a big difference in the amenities and school facilities between Haitian and American schools, but Cathy points out that she sees how Haitian students put value and significance to education.

Haitian students, according to Cathy, are very bright and are obviously and distinctly motivated. She believes the young students are all aiming to learn and have education so that they would have the fair chance to improve their living status. About 80% of the country's total population is lacking basic literacy. The government somehow erred when it did not put education as one of its priorities in the past. But the government itself, the non-government organizations, the academic institutions and the people themselves are now working hand-in-hand to correct the situation.

Cathy admits that teaching in Haiti is a real challenge. Louverture Cleary School offers Cathy and other foreign teachers free boarding within the school facilities. At first, it took some time before Cathy and her co-teachers were able to cope up with the living conditions. Some of the life-altering challenges and risks they encountered included the dreadful and disease-carrying mosquitoes, the quality and palatability of the rice they eat and the sporadic type and quality of electricity and other basic utilities.

The Haitian school is a middle-sized one, inferior somehow when compared to the most sophisticated and expensive Western schools. The Louverture Cleary School currently has 340 enrolled middle- and high-school students. Cathy takes pride that their school enjoys a 100% passing rate for the government's baccalaureate test. Thanks to the school's rigorous academic curriculum, students are now learning more about the basic things they need to know in a fun and more interactive way. Haitian students, according to Cathy, are very much respectful and are very open to learning new concepts and lessons. That is why teachers like Cathy are very much enjoying their teaching stint in the country.

Cathy stressed out that among the greatest challenges not just of the Haitian education system but also of the nation's entire society is the inappropriate and minimal exposure to media. Media is a great tool for complementing the lessons learned in school. Without exposure to television, radio, newspapers and the Internet, people and students basically would have a hard time applying the basic concepts and lessons learned from the confides of school. But Haiti shows signs it is willing to accelerate efforts to boost media existence and exposure in the country.

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