'...Despite the fact that the vast majority of Haitian children grow up hearing and speaking exclusively Haitian Creole—the language used in their villages and homes, in their music, and in their proverbs, jokes, and jingles—the minute they start school they are forced to start all over in a language they don’t know. French is the language of Haiti’s tiny ruling class, and for children who come from that world, this poses no problem. But for all the others, being forced to use French makes it nearly impossible to learn. Many students just stop talking in class, going silent. And according to an estimate from the Ministry of Education, less than a third of students who enter first grade reach sixth grade, and only 10 percent of those who start high school pass the exam that is given at the end.'
