New Education System

[Walter Davin / Mary Ann Holtz]

How can Haiti change to a new education system that helps students learn and understand how to solve problems?

[Mercedes Pichard]

Mary and Walter, (and everyone),

I have been wondering this same thing myself. I am very interested in this key question of using knowledge and skills in their APPLICATION, in the problem-solving and critical-thinking uses as opposed to memorization and regurgitation without comprehension and/or application.

For example, I have been pondering the elements of curriculum and instruction which would be most useful for the reduction of poverty (in Haiti, to be specific, although one could think about this topic for many other places). I think I know some of the elements -- let's say I have formulated some ideas by now, and I have also had many conversations with interested people from different walks of life on this topic, the planning, development and implementation of a Poverty Reduction Curriculum.

But then there comes the question of who (which people or institutions) to try to work with in Haiti, the private schools or the public (state-run) ones? There are currently more private schools than public ones in Haiti, and many private schools which are considered good ones. Some people have advised me that affiliating with a private school or private college (university, faculte), and formulating a pilot program as a model, collecting data for a few years, having something successful to show, is the best way to proceed.

On the other hand, it causes me some frustration -- and this is the advice I have been getting so far -- that one could not, apparently, work with the Haitian government's Ministry of Education to pilot a poverty reduction curricular / instructional model in a state-run secondary school, or to start a new "major" (specific program or progression / course of study) at the state university. I have been told that the Ministry of Education does not need help or advice or consultancy from the outside, or from non-Haitians, and that there are very thoughtful and intelligent people working there already (which is true, no doubt); and that therefore no state-run school would be able to (or allowed to) take on such a project. That any such project would, in short, be discouraged by the Haitian state-run school system.

Perhaps my frustration is only due to the conflict inherent in my cultural understandings: I am used to piloting programs in the public schools here in Florida, after descriptions have been written, proposals have been made, and appropriate permissions have been granted. I am used to receiving encouragement and support from public school systems / administrative individuals / grants awarded. As far as education in Haiti is concerned though, I have been advised to not rely on my previous processes and understandings (of how things work "here"), and to find a private institution in Haiti willing to pilot a poverty reduction curriculum & instruction program.

Does anyone have any thoughts on all this??

Thanks

Mercedes Pichard

[Pierre]

Mercedes,

Yes, I do. We are in contact with one "good" private school owner who is interested. Please contact me offline.

PB