Even
today, the majority of Haitians receive no formal education, and only
a small minority are educated beyond primary school.
One
major change was the use of Haitian Creole as the language of instruction
in the first four grades.
As
a sign of respect, Haitian students do not look their teachers in the
eye, but keep their heads down in deference.
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Education
Haiti's first schools were established shortly after the Constitution
of 1805, which mandated free and compulsory primary education. The Education
Act of 1848 created rural primary schools with a limited, mostly agricultural
curriculum. But while education has been promoted, at least in principle,
by Haiti's post-colonial leaders, a comprehensive, accessible school system
never developed. Even today, the majority of Haitians receive no formal
education, and only a small minority are educated beyond primary school.
The signing of the Concordat with the Vatican in 1860 brought much of
the education in Haiti under the control of the Roman Catholic Church.
French religious orders were assigned the responsibility of establishing
and maintaining Catholic schools, which became non-secular public schools.
The new teachers, mostly French clergy, were supported by the Church,
while all other costs were borne by the Haitian government.
Not surprisingly, these clerics promoted an attachment to France and
a respect for all that was French. At the same time, they emphasized the
backwardness of all that was Haitian and denigrated Haitian capacity for
self-rule. Since the urban elite had the most access to education—few priests
went to rural areas to educate peasants—this attitude served to widen the
social gap between the upper and lower classes.
Modeled on the French system, the Haitian education system followed a
classical curriculum, emphasizing literature (later rural schools, while
maintaining elements of a classical curriculum, focused on vocational
education and agronomy). This curriculum remained basically unchanged
until the education reform of 1978.
As in France, the school cycle consisted of 14 years of education: seven
at the elementary level and seven at the secondary level. Elementary,
or primary, education began with kindergarten and continued through preparatory,
elementary, and intermediate cycles, each of which lasted two years. Upon
completion of the six years, a student received a Primary Education Certificate
(CEP). The student could then take examinations for admission to secondary
school, and upon passing the exam, enter either a lycée (a
public school) or a collège (a private school). Secondary
education consisted of seven years of instruction: a three-year lower
cycle and a four-year upper cycle. Even though students at the lower
secondary
level had to select a specializationhumanities, sciences, or a combinationthe
upper curriculum stressed the classics and the arts. Education at the
secondary level was rigorous and usually of high quality. During the
first
few years students averaged 20–24 hours per week of instruction;
this increased to a total of 30–35 hours in the last two years. Successful
completion of secondary school led to the baccalauréat;
however, only successful completion of the classe de philosophie
(the second part of the baccalauréat) qualified the student
for admission to university.
Education
Reform
In recent years, there have been efforts to reform Haiti's educational
system to make education more accessible to the poor and more relevant
to their needs. The reforms, however, have been only partly successful
at best, and much of the old system remains in place throughout the country.
Efforts to change the system began in the late 1970s. In 1978, primary
schools, both urban and rural, were merged under the auspices of the National
Department of Education (DEN). The education system was then restructured:
ten years of basic education, consisting of three cycles (4-3-3 years),
and three years of secondary education. Curriculum and materials were
also changed. One major change was the use of Haitian Creole as the language
of instruction in the first four grades. Other instructional innovations
were grouping children by ability and an emphasis on discovery learning
rather than on memorization.
By 1981, primary school enrollment in urban areas had more than doubled
from 1970 figures. School nutrition programs and support from private
development agencies contributed to the increased enrollment, but rural
enrollments continued to be low. Moreover, dropout rates remained high:
50% in urban areas, and as high as 80% in rural areas.
Despite the reforms, obtaining an education in Haiti remains an elusive
goal for most. Though education is highly valued, the majority of Haitians
do not have access to it. As of 1982, more than 65% of the population
over the age of ten had received no formal education at all, and only
8% of the population had received more than a primary education. Even
though education is technically free in Haiti, it remains beyond the
means
of most Haitians, who cannot afford the supplemental fees, school supplies,
and uniforms required. Reform measures, especially the use of Haitian
Creole, have met resistance. Thus, education remains a privilege of the
upper and middle classes, with fluency in French a marker of success.
Although plans for further implementation of reforms have not been abandoned,
the current economic and political crises in Haiti have overshadowed
educational
concerns.
Implications
for the American Practitioner
Students who have participated in the Haitian educational system will
exhibit different behaviors and certainly have values and expectations
different from their American counterparts. A major difference between
the two educational systems is in styles of teaching and learning. The
Haitian curriculum requires learning many subjects in detail. Rote learning
and memorization are the norm. Haitian students will not be used to the
analysis and synthesis that U.S. teachers expect of their students; they
will also be puzzled by the number of right answers that are sometimes
possible. Haitian students must be overtly taught that thinking for oneself
is highly valued in American schools.
Grading and testing are very strict and formal in Haiti; it is much more
difficult to attain a grade of B (or its equivalent) in Haiti than
it is in the United States. Therefore, Haitian students may tend to attach
great importance to grades and tests, even quizzes. The notion that what
one learns is more important than the grade one earns will be very confusing
to a Haitian student.
Haitian students may also be disturbed by the informal teacher–student
relationship in the United States, and may perceive this informality as
a lack of respect. In Haiti the teacher addresses all students by their
last names and has total authority over the class. A student speaks only
when asked a question. As a sign of respect, Haitian students do not look
their teachers in the eye, but keep their heads down in deference. American
teachers should not be misled by this body language; Haitian students
need to be taught that Americans value eye contact. By the same token,
Haitian students may sometimes overstep the boundaries of informal behavior
that they are trying to learn from their classmates and teachers; this
should be tolerated as part of the learning process.
Since in Haiti there are no PTAs and parents are not routinely asked
or encouraged to participate in school matters and decisions, Haitian
parents are also often confused by the amount of parental involvement
that is expected by the schools in the United States. They feel that "teachers
know best." In Haiti, if a parent is called to school, it generally
means that the child has committed a great transgression; as a result,
Haitian parents may react negatively or fearfully to a request for a routine
parent–teacher conference. Haitian parents, like their offspring,
also need to be gently educated as to what is expected of them.
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