PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Haiti’s president-elect announced Tuesday that he intends to impose taxes on money transfers and international cellphone calls to help finance schools across the chronically impoverished country.

Michel “Sweet Micky” Martelly, who last week was declared the official winner of a March 20 presidential runoff but will not take office until May 14, said Haiti’s three telecommunication companies have agreed to charge an additional 5 cents a minute to help bankroll schools.

The levy on international phone calls with companies Digicel, Voila and Haitel would raise roughly $36 million annually, Martelly said. The program, he added, would take effect June 1 if lawmakers approve the plan.

During campaigning, Martelly pledged to ensure that all children in Haiti receive a free education. Haitian parents now spend the bulk of their salaries on education but few of their children learn much because the quality of schools is considered so dismal. Martelly said his government will also approach money transfer businesses to see if they would agree to donate a dollar for each remittance sent to Haiti to help fund schools. He disclosed few details of the proposals.