The start of the new academic year for 2023-2024 is just a mere two weeks away. Given the Haitian government's notorious track record of missing deadlines, a sense of caution prevails when broaching the topic of the new school year's initiation date. It's worth recalling that last year, on the brink of schools reopening, the government took the decision to significantly hike fuel prices, igniting turmoil across the nation. This led to a delay of approximately three months in the resumption of classes.

In the current year, the nature of surprises that the government holds in store for the nation remains veiled, yet it is evident that various neighborhoods in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan region, along with specific provincial cities, are besieged by gang warfare. In places like Carrefour-Feuilles, Tabarre, Lilavois, Croix-des-Bouquets, downtown Port-au-Prince, and myriad municipalities within Artibonite, armed gangs have transformed the daily lives of residents into a nightmarish existence. One must question whether the scheduled school reopening on September 11th will extend to these beleaguered areas.