Category: Jacmel

Get a Glimpse of what 'Back to School' is like in Haiti

8/10/2018

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The Importance of an Education in Haiti
I have yet to meet a Haitian that doesn't think school is important. School is a top priority among Haitian parents and families. No matter how poor or wealthy, everyone values education in Haiti. Despite what you may read or hear in the news, the majority of Haitian children go to school. Parents will do everything that they can to make sure their child gets an education no matter what. Their determination is one of those things that fascinates me most about the Haitian culture.

Just like we do in the United States, parents and students in Haiti prepare to go back to school in the same ways as us. Because I've never attended school in Haiti, I can't express my experiences on that. So, I asked a friend of mine, Fedno Lubin, who is a student in Jacmel, Haiti. Fedno is also a photographer who I hire occasionally to capture The Real Haiti. *All photos on this post are by Fedno Lubin*

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Washing her uniform by hand for back to school in Haiti

Hanging up her uniform to dry on a clothesline at home

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Preparing for back to school in Haiti

About Schools in Haiti
Haitian students primarily go to private schools, which means there's tuition fees or there are tuition waiver programs available to some. Here's a breakdown of how the education system in Haiti works: (research info below provided by classbase.com)

Primary - Ecole Premiere (Traditional System), ages 6 to 12-years-old. Certificate/Diploma awarded: Certificate of Beginning Studies. Haiti Educational system is based on the French system. French remains the language of instruction in the private schools, however Creole and French are used in the public schools.
Middle - Ecole Fondamentale (Reform System), ages 6 to 15-years-old. Certificate/Diploma awarded: Brevet d’Enseignment Fondamental.
Middle - Secondary School (Traditional System), ages 12 to 15-years-old. Certificate/Diploma awarded: Brevet Elementaire du Premier Cycle.
Secondary - Secondary (Reform System), ages 15 to 18-years-old. Certificate/Diploma awarded: Baccalaureat; Diplome d’Enseignement Secondaire.
Secondary - Technical Secondary School, ages 15 to 18-years-old. Certificate/Diploma awarded: Technical Certificate.
Secondary - Secondary School (Traditional System), ages 15 to 19-years-old. Certificate/Diploma awarded: Baccalaureat II.
Tertiary - Higher education. Higher education is provided by the universities and other public and private institutions governed by the Ministry of Education. The university system is composed currently of four or five private institutions in addition to the State University of Haiti. All higher education institutions are located in the capital city. They offer a degree in law, medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, engineering, agriculture and veterinary sciences, education, social sciences (mainly ethnology and psychology), economics, business administration, linguistics, international studies, and African studies.

Common grading scales:
80.00 - 100.00 or 8.00 - 10.00 Très Bien (Very Good) US - A
70.00 - 79.99 or 7.00 - 7.99 Bien (Good) US - B
60.00 - 69.99 or 6.00 - 6.99 Assez bien (Satisfactory) US - C
50.00 - 59.99 or 5.00 - 5.99 Passable (Sufficient) US - D
0.00 - 49.99 or 1.00 - 4.99 Mal (Fail) US - F

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Mother fixing her son's uniform for the first day of school

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Getting his shoes shined before school...always looking fresh

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Students walk to school or take a tap tap bus

According to the Ministry of Education in Haiti, the official school calendar has September 4 as the start day for back to school.

Now that you know more about back to school in Haiti, what can you do to teach your kids or students about it and Haitian culture?
For those of you who want to teach your kids or students about Haiti, here's a list of resources available to you:

Facts, pictures, videos, practice lessons and more about Haiti, visit our kids section of our site
Freebie worksheets and posters on The Real Haiti - map, numbers, food and colors
Order a printed book or digital book written by us called Violette and her love. Mermaid Violette is madly in love. Her friends -- a crab, fish, dolphin, jellyfish and shrimp, all wonder who Violette loves so much and can't live without. Read the book to find out who the lucky one is! Written in English and Haitian Creole.
Decorate your kid's room, playroom or your classroom with Haitian Creole wall art prints.

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What are your favorite memories of 'back to school' in Haiti or somewhere else! Share it with us below in the comments.

11 Comments

Why getting sick on the car ride to Jacmel was worth it!

5/1/2013

1 Comment

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The car ride to Jacmel, Haiti

On a twisty-turny bumpy ride down to Jacmel, I anticipated a visit to a place that I always heard about. Every time I’d mention Haiti to people when speaking of my blog, I was asked, “Have you been to Jacmel?!” How could I promote the most beautiful places in Haiti, but still had yet to see this desirable place?

First tip I can give to get to Jacmel is hire an experienced driver or ask someone you know that has experience. It's not somewhere you want to try to drive yourself if you're not used to mountain driving and Haiti driving. Also, make sure the car you're traveling in can handle mountain driving. There are also professional companies that have buses that go to Jacmel as well.

Our experience in Jacmel

We arrived at the 2 story freestanding building at ACFFC - Art Creation Foundation for Children - with beautifully decorated in mosaics on the front, including the choublack (hibiscus flower) with inspiration from Haiti’s logo. We entered the little shop where the art is for sale to visitors with so much to look at…papier mache masks, ornaments, wall hanging, bowls and glass mosaic bottles. We were given a tour downstairs and upstairs where we saw the computer room, the pharmacy and the library. Art made by these children is everywhere…it’s absolutely beautiful. Aside from its aesthetic beauty, the beautiful children were sitting quietly waiting for their professor to come. We chatted with them and hung out for a little bit while we enjoyed the view of the city of Jacmel.

The city of Jacmel is covered in beautiful mosaic walls done by the children of ACFFC throughout the years. We got to drive around and see all of the different designs and creativity!

Carnaval in Jacmel

We were lucky enough to see Carnaval in Jacmel, Haiti...a kind of toned down version of Carnaval in the capital. During Carnaval every afternoon (around 2 p.m.), the city shuts down and everyone starts celebrating...it's pretty wild!

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Bassin Bleu in Jacmel, Haiti

Bassin Bleu is a must see in Jacmel! Again, you will need an experienced driver and a local to help you get there...it's quite a journey, but so worth it!! There's lots of walking and climbing, including roping down a small rock. Don't worry, everyone's super helpful! I was definitely nervous to do it at first, too. Look at this amazing view.

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Lakou New York in Jacmel

Lakou New York is a beautiful mosaic boardwalk in a public area, perfect for getting some exercise or strolling around with your honey. It's right on the ocean and you can find vendors selling classic Haitian goods and snacks.