Se pa pou premye fwa mwen parèt sou entènèt la ak bèl ide sa a, men depi kèk ane byenke mwen pa t ekri pi long sou sa tankou mwen fè sa jodiya. Mwen mansyone l tou nan de nouvo liv (A healing paradigm for a new Haiti,A look at the problem of schools in Haiti) mwen gen pou pibliye.

It’s not the first time I come online with this genuine idea, but I’ve come with it since a very long time ago though I did not write long about it the way I do today. I have also mentioned it in two of my books (A healing paradigm for a new Haiti,A look at the problem of schools in Haiti) to be published.

Se yon ide k ap domine mwen chak jou an tèm aktivite lekòl Ayiti te ka fè ak elèv o pwofi devlopman Ayiti Cheri, e pou fè timoun sa yo aprann pran konsyans depi yo jèn dekwa pou ede Ayiti demen.

It’s an idea that has been dominating me daily in terms of activities schools in Haiti can do with students in the advantage of Haiti’s development, and to raise these children’s consciousness since very young in order to help Haiti tomorrow.

Se tout yon gwo pepinyè mwen wè nan ide sa a pou mete yon ralonj sou filozofi konbit kèk nan nou kapab anbrase deja pou fè Ayiti ale vè lavan tout bon vre.

It is a whole big nursery that I see in this idea to add an extension to the konbit² philosophy that some of us may have embraced already to make Haiti moving forward for real.

Pou ide sa a vin pratik, lekòl Ayiti pa bezwen milyonven ni tou yo pa reyèlman bezwen tann se gouvènman ki pou ta ba yo limyè vèt pou anbrase lide sa a men gen kichòy ke yo kapab kòmanse fè ak elèv yo, epi piti piti, ide sa a kapab tounen yon reyalite nan edikasyon timoun yo nan venteyinyèm syèk la.

For this idea to be become practical, schools in Haiti don’t need many millions of dollars neither they really need to wait for governments to give them the green light to embrace this idea but there are things that they can start doing with the students and little by little this idea can become a reality in the children’s education in the 21st century.

Pou tout moun ki li ti dokiman sa a, souple mwen ankouraje w voye kòmantè ban mwen; yo trè entèpòtan an tèm sa ou ka pataje ak lòt moun e sa mwen pa t gen tan devlope ladan. Konpatriyòt, ou menm ki ta renmen ede Ayiti san fè yon dal literati, ann panse kijan lekòl Ayiti (prive, piblik, lekòl bòlèt, lekòl kongreganis, elt.) kapab panse a jou vandredi pou ta bay elèv yo yon edikasyon pratik. Nan edikasyon pratik sa a, nou wè yon dal bagay la:

For everyone who reads this document, please I encourage you to send me comments; they are very important in terms of what you can share with others and what I didn’t have time to develop in it. Compatriots, you who would like to help Haiti without doing a bunch of literature or talking a lot, let’s think of how schools in Haiti (private, public, mediocre schools, congregational schools, etc.) can think of Friday to give students a practical education. In this practical education, we see many things.

(1) JOUNE (VIZIT)

(1) FIELDTRIPS

Lekòl la mennen elèv yo al fè kèk vizit. Vizit sa yo kapab nan mize, vizit lye istorik, vizit alakanpay, elt… yon fason pou eskpoze elèv yo a reyalite Ayiti (wè bagay yo dan griyen, jan yo ye Ayiti) pou aprann pran konsyans de reyalite sa a depi piti, pou lespri yo devlope (kote yo kapab poze tout kalte kesyon sou sa yo wè).

The school organizes fieldtrip with students. These fieldtrips can be visits to museums, visiting historical places, visiting the countryside, etc… a way to expose students to Haiti’s reality (see things as naked as they are) in order to learn consciousness-raising of this reality since very young, to develop critical thinking (where they can ask all types of questions on what they see).

Kèk kesyon yo ka poze:

Some questions they may ask:

a. Te kwè nou etidye nan liv ke «Ayiti se yon peyi agrikòl», apa nou pa wè jaden, aktivite agrikòl yon dal kote nou pase? Sa k koze sa?

a. We have studied in books that “Haiti is an agricultural country”, but we don’t see gardens, agricultural activities in many places we go. What causes that?

b. Anpil kote nou pase nou wè ti sous dlo; pouki yo pa kapte yo pou wouze tè? Pouki se lapli peyizan yo di y ap tann pou plante?

b. Many places that we visit, we see small springs of water; why don’t they collect them to irrigate land? Why is that peasants are waiting for rainfall in order to plant?

c. Apa tout kote n pase nou wè moun ap koupe pyebwa pou fè chabon? Se pa lanati yo detwi lè yo koupe pyebwa?

c. Why is it that everywhere we go we see people are cutting down trees to make charcoal? Aren’t they destroying nature when cutting down trees?

d. Ki lwa li egziste pou pwoteje anviwonnman an? Ki pinisyon yon moun ka jwenn si l ap detwi anviwonnman an?

d. What laws that exist to protect the environment? What punishment can a person receive for destroying the environment?

e. Kisa ki ka ranplase chabon an pou moun pa koupe bwa?

e. What can substitute for charcoal in order for people not to cut down trees?

f. Yo di moun pa koupe bwa nan Sendomeng, y ap pini yo pou sa, se vre?

f. They say that people don’t cut down trees in the Dominican Republic, they will punish them for that. Is that true?

g. Yo di moun Sendomeng sèvi ak gaz tout kote. Leta sibvansyone gaz pou fè manje (moun pa peye anpil pou achte l) yo pa sèvi ak chabon. Pouki sa pa fèt Ayiti tou?

g. They say that people in the Dominican Republic use gas (for cooking) everywhere. The government subsidizes gas (people don’t pay too much to buy it) they don’t use charcoal. Why doesn’t this happen in Haiti also?

Donk se tout yon seri kesyon anseyan ka ankouraje elèv poze pou aprann devlope lespri kritik, e pou aprann pran konsyans. Pa gen move kesyon; tout kesyon se kesyon; tout kesyon gen repons.

So, it’s a whole series of questions teachers can encourage students to ask in order to develop critical thinking, and to build up conscious-raising. There are no bad questions; all questions are questions; all questions have answers.

Nan kategori «vizit» la, nou pa eskli vizit nan Sendomeng (Repiblik Dominikèn). Okontrè li enpòtan pou lekòl (ki gen ti mwayen) ta òganize vizit nan Sendomeng (peyi ki pi pwòch Ayiti) pou eskpoze elèv yo a reyalite yon lòt peyi pou konpare ak Ayiti.

In the “fieldtrip” category here, we can’t exclude trips to the Dominican Republic. On the contrary, it’s important for schools (that have some financial means) to organize fieldtrips to the Dominican Republic (a neighboring country) in order to expose students to the reality of another country in comparison with Haiti.

(2) PRATIKE YON BAGAY KÈLKONK ANDEDAN LEKÒL LA JOU VANDREDI

(2) PRACTICING SOMETHING SOMEHOW WITHIN THE SCHOOL ON FRIDAYS

h. Elèv te ka aprann itilize konpwoutè (òdinatè); aprann ouvri kont elektwonik (imel) pou al kominike sou otowout entènasyonal ki rele entènèt la, yon granchemen savwa. Nan menm liy ide a, nou te rive edite yon bèl manyèl òdinatè ki kapab ede tout lekòl Ayiti ki vle kòmanse entwodui òdinatè nan saldeklas yo. Tit liv la se: Premye Etap Avèk Yon Òdinatè¹

h. Students can learn how to use computers, learn how to open an e-mail account to communicate on the international highway called the internet, a highway of knowledge. In the same thread of idea, we have edited a nice computer manual that can help all schools in Haiti that want to start introducing computers in their classrooms. The book is entitled: Premye Etap Avèk Yon Òdinatè.

i. Pale de enpòtans entènèt la tout kote nan lemonn jodiya, kijan l konekte tout moun nan lemonn; kijan ou ka chita Ayiti epi w ap kominike ak zanmi ki Lafrans, Etazini, Kanada, lòt kote nan Zantiy yo, elt.

i. Talk about the importance of the internet everywhere in the world today, how it connects everybody everywhere, how you can be in Haiti in front of your computer screen and communicate with friends in France, United States, Canada and other part of the Caribbean, etc.

j. Kijan rechèch /dokiman simaye sou entènèt la e kijan pwofesè lekòl, elèv, moun k ap fè rechèch ka li, e itilize yo tou pou fè rechèch …

j. How research /documents are spread out online and how schoolteachers, students, researchers can read them, and use them also to do research …

(3) PRATIKE YON ESPÒ KÈLKONK

(3) PRACTICING A SPORT SOMEHOW

k. Premyèman, pale de espò an tèm enpòtans li pou devlope fizik yon moun, e pou fè l rete an sante tou. Espò kapab vin yon karyè tou pou kèk jèn kote yo ka fè anpil kòb. Nan gran peyi (devlope yo), vedèt espòtif (nan espò kouwè bezbòl, bòks, foutbòl, foutbòl ameriken, baskètbòl, rògbi...) yo siyen kontra plizyè milyon dola epi yo fè anpil lajan nan piblisite pou gran konpayi.

k. First, talking about sports in terms of its importance for a person’s physical growth and, to remain healthy. Sports can become a career also for some young people where they can make a lot of money. In developing countries, athletic stars (in sports like baseball, box, soccer, American football, basketball, rugby …) sign contracts of many million dollars and they make a lot of money doing commercials for big companies.

l. Lakay Ayiti, nou pi konnen espò kouwè foutbòl (espò nasyonal la) men sèjousi, gen kèk lekòl ki gen ti teren baskètbòl ak volebòl. An palan de foutbòl, youn nan gran jwè ki fè onè Ayiti se Emmanuel (Manno) Sanon; gras a li ak kèk lòt gran jwè, Ayiti te rive kalifye kòm peyi nan Karayib la pou l te patisipe nan koupdimonn 1974 la ki te fèt nan peyi Almay. Pandan Ayiti t ap jwe ak Itali, Manno rive fè yon premye gòl sou Itali. Se yon evennman ki te fè non sèlman kè Italyen sote, men lemonn antye paske yo konnen Itali te gen youn nan meyè gadyen ki fè yon dal tan depi l pa t pran gòl (an palan de Dino Zoff). Manno te rive leve defi sa a malgre  Itali te gen match la alafen. Men nou vrèman an reta nan espò sa yo pou n ta patisipe nan konpetisyon entènasyonal, sitou nan jwèt olenmpik (ki fèt chak katran). Li enpòtan tou pou ta pale elèv yo de bezbòl (kote majorite boul bezbòl se Ayiti ki te konn prepare yo nan faktori kote ti malere ak malerèz mal manje, mal peye t ap fabrike yo pa douzèn pou voye lòtbò dlo tandike Ayiti pa jwe bezbòl. Bezbòl se yon espò entènasyonal nan kontinan ameriken an ki gen anpil lajan ladan. Kèk bon jwè bezbòl ki sot Sendomeng, y al jwe nan kèk gran ekip ameriken pou plizyè milyon dola. Kanada, Etazini, Amerik Santral, Venezyela, ak kèk kote nan Karayib la (kouwè Kiba, Pòtoriko, Sendomeng)  jwe bezbòl).

l. In Haiti, we are more familiar with sports like soccer (the national sport) and volleyball but nowadays, few schools have basketball and volleyball courts. Talking about soccer, one of the great players making Haiti’s pride in this sport was Emmanuel (Manno) Sanon; thanks to him and some other great players, Haiti has the honor of being qualified as a Caribbean country to participate in the 1974 World Cup held in Germany. While Haiti was playing with Italy, Mano scored a first goal for Haiti. It was an event that not only panicked Italians, but the whole world because they knew Italy had one of the best goalkeeper, Dino Zoff. Manno succeeded in taking up this challenge though Italy won the match at the end. But we are really behind in these sports to participate in international competitions, particularly Olympic games (taking place every four year. It’s important also to talk to students about baseball (where most of the baseballs were made in Haiti in factories where poor men and women could not eat well, were not well-paid; they were the people making them by dozens to be sent abroad nevertheless Haiti doesn’t play baseball. Baseball is also an international sport in the American continent, a sport that has a lot of money. Some good baseball players from the Dominican Republic are playing in some great American teams for many million of dollars. Canada, United States, Central America, Venezuela and some places in the Caribbean such as Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Porto Rico also play baseball.

m. Natasyon. Se youn nan espò ki ka sove lavi yon moun si l tonbe nan dlo epi l pa konn naje. Nenpòt timoun ki konn dlo (ak teknik pou sove yon moun k ap nwaye) kapab sove yon adil k ap nwaye. Donk nou wè nesesite pou anpil lekòl ta kreye pisin pou elèv pratike natasyon, pou yo aprann naje. Silvio Cator, youn nan pi gran atlèt Ayiti te ka pwodui te yon gran najè tou, apa plizyè lòt espò li te konn pratike. Pou te ka sonje li, yo fè estad Pòtoprens lan pote non l.

m. Swimming. It’s one of the sports that can save someone’s life if that person falls in deep water and can swim. Any young child who knows how to swim (with techniques to save someone who’s drowning) can save an adult who is drowning. So, we see the necessity for many schools to create swimming pools for students to practice swimming or to learn how to swim. Silvio Cator, one of the greatest athletes Haiti could have produced, was also a great swimmer, besides many sports he used to practice. In memory of him, the stadium in Port-au-Prince carries his name.

n. Ar masyal (jido, karate, kikbòksing, kongfou, taykonndo, elt.). Se kèk ar masyal ki enpòtan. Yon moun ka defann tèt li lè l konnen kèk ladan yo.

n. Martial arts (judo, karate, kickboxing, kong fu, taekondo, etc.). These are some important martial arts. A person can defend him /herself knowing some of them.

o. Konbyen timoun Ayiti ki ka monte yon bisiklèt, yon motosiklèt? Kèk lekòl te ka mete yo a dispozisyon pou elèv pratike. Ak pwoblèm wout (pa gen anpil oubyen sa k bon) Ayiti, gen kote moun te ka ale sou bisiklèt ou motosiklèt kote wout yo pa vwatirab. Ekip moun nan yon zòn te ka met ansanm pou kreye yon wout pou bisiklèt e moto annatandan, epi aprè gouvènman an ta elaji e amelyore yo pou pi gwo veyikil (si yo ta rive gen bòn fwa pou konprann nesesite moun nan yon zòn).

o. How many children in Haiti can ride a bicycle, a motorcycle? Some schools could have made them available to students to practice. With the problem of roads (not many or good ones) in Haiti, there are places where people could have gone on bicycle or motorcycle where roads that are not accessible to cars. Teams of people in an area could get together to create  roads for bicycles and motorcycles in the meantime, and later the government could widen and improve them for larger vehicles (if they will have the good heart to understand the needs of the people in an area).

(4) RELE PWOFESYONÈL VIN PALE

4. INVITE PROFESSIONALS AS GUEST SPEAKERS

Se yon aktivite lekòl Ayiti te ka fè tou jou vandredi kote yo te ka envite pwofesyonèl nan plizyè domèn (tankou: agonòm, pwofesè lekòl, avoka, biznismann, chofè, doktè (medsen), ebenis, ekriven, elektrisyen, enfimyè, enjenyè, espòtmann, fèmye, gid touris, kòdonye, machann, oksilyè, teknisyen, tradiktè …).

It is an activity that schools in Haiti could do on Fridays by inviting professional in different areas (such as: agronomists, schoolteachers, lawyers, businessmen, drivers, doctors, cabinetmakers, writers, electricians, nurses, engineers, athletes, farmers, tourist guides, shoemakers, vendors, nurses’ aids, technicians, translators …).

(5) YON PROGRAMM ANDEDAN LEKÒL LA KI SANTRE SOU SIVIK

(5) A PROGRAM IN THE SCHOOL FOCUSING ON CIVICS

Apa de ti liv «enstriksyon sivik» elèv ka li, lekòl yo te ka panse a yon bonjan pwogram ki santre sou sivik lè vandredi. Kisa elèv la dwe konnen kòm sitwayen, responsablite yon sitwayen anvè peyi l /anvè kominote l, patisipasyon ou kontribisyon l nan sosyete a...

Besides from a small Civics books students can read, schools could think of a real program focusing on Civics on Fridays. What should the student know as citizen, the responsibilities of a citizen vis-à-vis his country, community, his participation or contribution in the society … 

(6) PATISIPE NAN PWOJÈ REBWAZMAN

(6) PARTICIPATING IN REFORESTATION PROJECTS

Se ta reyèlman yon bèl ide pou lekòl Ayiti ta gen sa nan pwogram yo ta renmen fè ak elèv jou vandredi. Yo te ka reyini elèv yo nan lekòl la jou vandredi, pase fim pou yo pou gade kèk dokimantè (lekòl ki gen aksè a elektrisite), pale de pwoblèm debwazman, e enpòtans pou rebwaze Ayiti rapidopresto kote patisipasyon ak konpreyansyon tout moun enpòtan.

That would be quite a genuine idea for schools in Haiti to have that in the programs they would like to with students on Fridays. They could gather students in the school on Fridays, show films for them to watch some documentaries (schools that have access to electricity), talk about deforestation problems and the importance to reforest Haiti quickly where everybody’s participation and understanding are important.

(7) FÈ ELÈV APRANN PATISIPE NAN PWOJÈ GOUVÈNMAN AP FÈ

(7) ENGAGING STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN PROJECTS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING

Li ta enpòtan pou lekòl ta eskpoze elèv a pwojè gouvènman an ap fè (pa ekz., patisipe dirèkteman e volontèman), ale sou teren /chantye kote travay la ap fèt pou obsève epi poze kesyon sou travay la epi ankouraje moun k ap fè l la).

It would be important for schools to expose students to projects that the government would underte (e.g. participating directly and voluntarily, go to the field /the site where the works are taking place to observe and ask questions about the works and encourage people who are doing them.

(8) RAPÒ ALEKRI CHAK AKTIVITE ELÈV YO FÈ LÈ VANDREDI

(8) WRITTEN REPORTS OF EACH ACTIVITY DONE BY STUDENTS ON FRIDAYS

Li enpòtan pou elèv yo ta ekri yon rapò oswa kontrandi sou aktivite yo fè jou vandredi a, epi pou ta remèt yo nan klas lendi (tankou yon devwa). Lekòl la kapab fè tou yon konpilasyon rapò ebdomadè sa yo, epi l pibliye yon liv ak yo nan fen ane a oubyen aranje yo nan fòm maniskri nan achiv lekòl la kote yo kapab ede nan rechèch pi devan oubyen sèvi lòt elèv kòm modèl.

It is important for the students to write a report on the activities they’ve done on Friday and then hand it to the teachers on Monday (as a homework assignment). The school can also make a compilation of these weekly reports and then publish a book with them or arrange them in the form of manuscripts in the school’s archives where they can help in doing research later on or serve other students as models.

Nòt : Note

1. Premye Etap Avèk Yon Òdinatè (First Step With Computers - the first Computer Training Manual in the Haitian Language). Editè: Emmanuel Vedrine, Emily Miksic, and Jean Aupont). Yon prezantasyon Pwof Ansanm. Publisher: Eastern Digital Resources.
    
2. Konbit: collective (rural) work; cooperative peasant work team for clearing land and harvesting.

Kòmantè : Comments

N ap tann kòmantè ou oubyen sa ou ta renmen ajout sou atik sa a pou ede nan kad yon «edikasyon pratik» an Ayiti.

We are waiting for your comments or what you’d like to add to this article to help with a «practical education» in Haiti.

Kesyon e Konpreyansyon : Question and Understanding

What importance does Friday have for you?

2. Ki aktivite ou renmen oubyen ta renmen fè jou vandredi?

What activity (activities) do you like or would like to do on Fridays?

3. Kijan ou wè oubyen entèprete filozofi «konbit» la?

How do you see or interpret the «konbit» philosophy?

4. Kisa yon «edikasyon pratik» vle di? Kòmante sou sa.

What does a «practical education» mean? Comment on that.

5. Kisa lekòl Ayiti kapab vizite ak elèv? Poukisa?

What can schools in Haiti visit with students? Why?

6. Ki enpòtans «mize», «lye istorik» yo genyen?

What importance do «museums», «historical places have?

7. Kisa ki fè pati de «patrimwàn» peyi a?

What things are part of the country’s «patrimony»?

8. Kisa sa vle di: «reyalite Ayiti»?

What does this mean: «Haiti’s reality»?

9. Poukisa lontan yo te konn pale de Ayiti kòm «peyi agrikòl»?

Why in the past they used to speak of Haiti as an «agricultural country»?

10. Poukisa yo koupe pyebwa Ayiti?

Why do they cut down trees in Haiti?

11. Ki pwoblèm sa koze lè yo koupe pyebwa Ayiti?

What problems do that cause when they cut down trees in Haiti?

12. Kijan ou panse yo ta kapab ede nan pwoteksyon anviwonnman an?

How do you think they could help in protecting the environment?

13. Ki enpòtans sa ta genyen pou montre tout moun fè «pepinyè pyebwa»?

What importance would that have to teach everyone to make «nursery of trees»?

14. Èske moun ka koupe pyebwa jan yo vle nan Sendomeng (Repiblik Dominikèn)?

Can people cut down trees the way they want in the Dominican Republic?

15. Ki avantaj sa ta genyen si leta ta sibvansyone gaz pou fè manje?

What advantage would that have if the government would subsidize cooking gas?

16. Kisa «devlope lespri kritik» vle di?

What does «develop critical thinking» mean?

17. Ki enpòtans «vizit», «joune» genyen pou elèv ak pwofesè lekòl?

What importance do « visits»,  fieldtrips» have for students and teachers?

18. Ki enpòtans «entènèt la» genyen jounen jodiya pou ou?

What importance does the «internet» have for you today?

19. Èske ou «aksè entènèt » pou kominike ak moun ki nan lòt andwa?

Do you have «internet access» to communicate with people in other places?

20. Ki espò ou pratike? Ki espò ou renmen plis? poukisa?

What sports do you practice? What sports do you like the most? Why?

21. Ki espò nou pi konnen Ayiti?

What sports do we know the most in Haiti?

22. Kilès Emmanuel Sanon te ye?

Who was Emmanuel Sanon?

23. Ki rapò Ayiti genyen ak «bezbòl»?

What does Haiti have to do with «baseball»?

24. Poukisa li enpòtan pou Ayiti ta jwe «bezbòl»?

Why would it be important for Haiti to play «baseball»?

25. Ki enpòtans espò kouwè «natasyon» genyen?

What importance does sport like «simming» have?

26. Site kèk «ar masyal». Kilès ladan yo ou konnen?

Name some «martial arts». Which of them do you know?

27. Poukisa li ta enpòtan pou moun Ayiti ta konn monte bisiklèt, motosiklèt?

Why would it be important for people in Haiti to know how to ride bycicles, motorcycles?

28. Kòmante sou pwoblèm «debwazman», e enpòtans pou «rebwaze» peyi a.

Comment on the «deforestation» problem, and the importance to «reforest» the country.

29. kòm sitwayen?

What should students know as their responsibilities toward their country as citizen?

30. Èske ou prè pou ta ede kòm volontè si lekòl ou a ta gen yon pwojè pou ede kominote ou, peyi ou jou vandredi?

Would you be ready to help as volunteer if your school have a project to help your community, your country on Fridays?