Ms. Pierre’s whose son was diagnosed with special needs had already been
registered at the school and had been going to school but when she attempted to
take her child to there that fall semester the principal refused to allow him into
the classroom as he didn’t have a permit.
Shortly after Ms Pierre’s story made local news, recently elected Immigration Minister
Brent Symonette gave instruction to all school administrators to accept and admit all
students as it was his belief that no child should be denied education because of their
status.
“Principals should admit these students to school so that they can maintain their
education,” he told The Tribune on Sunday. “If there is a difficulty getting a belonger’s
permit or whatever permit it is that they need, the administrators should email me so that
we can regularise those persons’ status, so that they can attend school.”
-
Immigration Minister Brent Symonette
It is said that education opens doors; these doors are simply not accessible for stateless
children and the effects follow them into adulthood. They are unable to apply for certain
positions for employment and are mostly limited to low income jobs, this prevents
opportunities for workplace advancement and them from being able to properly provide
for themselves and their families. Therefore, many of them are forced into
entrepreneurship as a means to support themselves
“Haitians residing in the Bahamas face widespread social and economic deprivation and are
constantly in fear of being detained or deported. Because citizenship in Haiti is acquired by
birth within the territory, children of Haitian migrants born in the Bahamas are stateless, at
least until the age of 18. Although stateless children are legally entitled to free public
education, children of Haitian immigrants were reportedly forced to pay the tuition rates of
foreign students or in some cases were denied access to school altogether.”
- T
he International Observatory on Statelessness
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