When schools close during crises, learning often stops for the children who need it most. In Haiti—where insecurity, displacement, and instability regularly disrupt education—community-based solutions are essential.
Laterite recently partnered with Save the Children to evaluate the Lekòl Katye Community Learning Schools model, an initiative designed to keep children learning even when formal schooling is interrupted. The model creates safe, community-based learning spaces that can function as after-school support when schools are open and alternative classrooms when they close.
Our evaluation found that the model plays an important role in helping children stay engaged in education during instability. Stakeholders highlighted strong student retention and the value of the learning spaces as safe environments that support children’s wellbeing as well as their learning. Program data also shows improvements in numeracy skills, though literacy gains remain more limited—pointing to opportunities to strengthen the approach further.
The study drew on a desk review, program data, and key informant interviews across Port-au-Prince and Haiti’s Great South departments. Alongside documenting the model’s successes, the evaluation identified practical ways to strengthen it—from improving teacher payment systems to reinforcing psychosocial support and strengthening links with the national education system.
At a time when crises continue to interrupt children’s education worldwide, the evaluation highlights how flexible, community-driven learning models can help ensure children are not left behind.
Read the full report:
