On EducationBy Matt Marek on Friday, December 2, 2005.
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Some of the basics are; students are graded on a 1 through 10 scale, 5.5 is the annual general average required by the state to pass, and 6th, 9th, 12th & 13th students need to pass the national exam to continue on to the next grade. I've also learned about many of the barriers to entry, such as without a uniform you can't attend school, the average tuition ranges from $275 to $350 US dollars which on the high end is 82% of Haitian's average per capita income of $425, and some teachers reserve the right to deny you entry into class if you can't afford to buy the appropriate book. At Norwich Mission House, I run a neighborhood scholarship program that sends over 120 primary and secondary students to school. Just the other day, in compliance with our scholarship program's rules, students and parents began submitting report cards for the 1st semester. And as I reviewed 10 report cards one day, I identified 5 errors in how the school calculated the students' grades. The errors were not in favor of the student in any case and ranged from .01 points to an entire 1/2 point. Living in Haiti, the surprise for such absurdity is dwindling. However, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of anger. There are enough barriers to education in this country, poor math skills on the part of the school should not be another. So what is the solution? We can talk about changing the rote curriculum, increasing the government's education budget, focusing more on private education, and other big issues, but I suggest something smaller and possibly more powerful; parents. If parents collectively confront an issue, such as uniform costs, books, and grades things can change. But it is first the responsibility of the parents to identify these issues and then find the power within themselves, become aware of their neighbors' plight and realize their right to demand better services for their children's education. Essentially create a PTA, a common organization in so many other places. What will it take to get Haitians to do the same? Matt Marek Haiti Innovation |
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Thanks for shedding light on
Thanks for shedding light on the topic. Schooling is a major issue for most developing countries all around the world. I feel the local government should have a far greater say in the in the way the entire school set up is made in the country..!
Education
Education is the key to the future but food is the key to the present. Food security and educational reform are both urgently needed for Haiti to make progress.
Schools are very important
Schools are very important as they provide education for the society to come. I am sorry to hear about these troubles, that makes me think that the future in Haiti is not very bright. Perhaps the educational system should be the starting point for building a better society.
Matt, in your article you
Matt, in your article you introduced that there should be more focus on private education, but in regards to Port-au-Prince, this is hardly a solution people the majority of the people cannot afford to go to private school. I attended private school in Haiti and the tuition was absurdly higher than what the average person could afford. I think the focus should be more on public school reform because this sysytem is more accessible to the masses. I think the Haitian government should take the initiative to improve the quality of teaching, instruct better teachers, and also make concessions for those students who are not able to buy their own uniform or books.
Yes, and you're not too crazy!
As for text messaging: I think this is an idea that is not too farfetched but currently just out of reach of the average Haitian. Haiti does have the technology to support text messaging and it may be more cost effective for schools and although many Haitians have cell phones the basic infrastructure (electricity for one) needed to support this idea is unreliable. And how Haitian culture uses cell phones may preclude them at this point from relying on text messages about students’ school performance. But I do believe that as the technology gap diminishes and becomes less expensive and developing countries employee it more frequently it can prove its advantages in the school system.
Add/Divide, PTAs, & Ecole Normal
I would say the resources to track students needs to be in place to measure learning but I would say it is just as much the responsibility of the student and parent as it is the school to be concerned with the grades. This concern requires minimal resources i.e. each parent/student checks the math on the report card. This is simple addition and division.
And if the school can't correct their problems parent's certainly have recourse if they can work together. PTAs are meant for just that reason as a body of concerned individuals with a common voice. There are many schools and the collective concern of parents would drive competition and hopefully as a result improve the school system as a whole.
Teachers and schools can improve if they followed the standards of the Ministry of Education's Ecole Normale, which was setup to train teachers. If schools do not require certifications or standards from the teachers they higher they are doing their students and country a disservice. And if PTAs don't hold schools accountable they too are doing a disservice to their children and their country.
"sucks" is not PC but...
First of all, I would like to
Making better educators
text message parental notifications?
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