Haiti takes the highway to transform education system through curriculum reform

In 2020, Haiti approved a new plan for the 2030 horizon, which aims to increase the internal and external efficiency of the education system, to better meet the country's socio-economic development needs while contributing to its sustainable and inclusive development. It is a Ten-Year Education and Training Plan 2020-2030 (PDEF) to transform the Haitian education system.

The priorities of the Ten-Year Plan are declined into three workstreams composed of priority programs and sub-programs, which will be implemented throughout the coming decade. The three axes are: (i) Axis I: Governance; (ii) Axis II: Quality and Relevance; (iii) Axis III: Access and Equity.

The International Bureau of Education (UNESCO-IBE) has been asked by the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) to specifically support the implementation of Axis II, which is devoted to improving the quality of the system in general, and of learning. The MENFP is financially supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in this process.

As part of the implementation of the PDEF, Haiti has adopted a new Curricular Orientation Framework (COC), validated in February 2021, which outlines an education system for all. It orients curricula towards a new paradigm based on socio-constructivism and the Competency-Based Approach (CBA), introducing the knowledge, skills and values required for Haiti's children to be equipped to face the challenges of their country.

To launch the discussions around the plan to transform the Haitian education system in depth, MENFP and UNESCO-IBE organized a workshop from April 10 to 14, 2023 in Port-au-Prince with more than 70 representatives of the different actors of the curricular chain. The objective was to reflect together on the strategies to be implemented to improve the articulation of the curricular reform of the Haitian education system which implies 1. consider the commitments made at the global and national level on the transformation of education systems; 2. consider the national context and challenges; 3. to finally determine the opportunities for financing the curriculum reform as a priority program for the country.

At the end of this intensive workshop, the IBE-UNESCO team was delighted to note the richness of the exchanges and the commitment of the different actors to undertake the reform announced by the MENFP through the different projects launched. The workshop made it possible to deepen and highlight past experiences to learn from them and to identify the key actors in the curriculum chain. Thanks to open and constructive discussions, the workshop also made it possible to assess the training needs of these actors, to better accompany them in the implementation of the education system reform.

The IBE-UNESCO therefore renews its commitment to accompany the MENFP and its partners for the effective implementation of the initiatives launched by the MENFP. These initiatives will help shape an education system that is better adapted to the needs of Haitian learners, thus promoting their integral development and their preparation for future challenges.

The words of the Director of Curriculum and Quality, Ms. Marjorie Télusma, at the conclusion of the workshop, illustrated the stakes and the importance of the project's success for Haiti:

"While recognizing that the Haitian education system will always face difficult contexts in terms of national economies, social crises, and prospects for innovation, this workshop provided a tangible perspective that relevant and quality transformation of the system can not only improve prospects, but also contribute to the development of economies.”