On August 17, 2026, a formal leadership transition took place at Haiti’s National Education Fund (FNE), as outgoing director Élysé Colagène handed over oversight of the institution to newly appointed Director General Jefnie Toussaint, a finance and development economics specialist with deep academic and professional ties to Haiti’s education sector. The official installation ceremony was led by Vijonet Déméro, Haiti’s Minister of National Education and chair of the FNE Board of Directors, and drew dozens of senior government officials from across multiple portfolios, including Planning Minister Sandra Paulémon, Diaspora Minister Kathia Verdier, Women’s Affairs Minister Pédrica Saint-Jean, and Secretary of State for Literacy Adelson Lorgeat. Senior leadership from the Ministry of National Education and the FNE also attended the event to mark the leadership change.
In his closing remarks at the ceremony, outgoing director Colagène, who led the institution for 11 months, extended his gratitude to Haiti’s executive leadership and fellow staff members for their support during his tenure. He delivered a positive assessment of his time in office and offered a warm vote of confidence for Toussaint’s upcoming term.
For Toussaint, a professor at Haiti’s Notre-Dame University of Gonaïves, the appointment represents a profound national commitment. In her first public address after taking office, she framed public service as a dual responsibility: meeting the needs of current Haitian generations while laying stable foundations for future ones. She opened by praising the progress achieved by her predecessor, emphasizing that strong public institutions depend on intentional leadership continuity. “Institutions are built on continuity. Each leader contributes, in their own way, to their consolidation,” she noted, adding that her tenure will center on protecting existing progress while driving a new dynamic of modernization and improved performance for the FNE.
Toussaint outlined a clear governance vision that places rigor, integrity, transparency, efficiency, and innovation at the center of the FNE’s core operations. The fund’s core mission is to expand financing for Haiti’s education sector, and Toussaint called on all FNE managers and staff to unite to strengthen the institution’s ability to deliver on that mission. She stressed that every Haitian child who gains access to quality education is a victory for the entire country and an investment in Haiti’s long-term future.
Acknowledging the widespread systemic challenges Haiti currently faces and the persistent constraints on available public resources, Toussaint outlined key priorities for her term: strengthening accountability frameworks, upgrading internal governance mechanisms, optimizing the use of limited allocated resources, and building new strategic partnerships to expand the FNE’s reach. Her overarching goal is to increase the impact of the FNE’s education financing interventions across every region of Haiti. She closed by reaffirming her commitment to close, trust-based collaboration with the FNE’s key stakeholders, particularly the Ministry of National Education, rooted in shared responsibility and a focus on delivering tangible results for Haitian communities.