The Revival of Higher Education in Haiti:

Challenges and Opportunities at a Haitian Institution of Higher Learning in a Post-earthquake Environment

Dr. Patrick Guilbaud, Ph.D, M.B.A. M.Sc, Josee Vedrine, Ph.D, and Mr. Lynn Black, M.A.

4/30/2010

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Executive Summary

Haitian Higher Education System

The premier institution of higher education in Haiti is the L’Université d’Etat d’Haïti (UEH) or The State

University as it is commonly referred to in English. It was comprised of 18 campuses throughout the

country, but 11 of them were established in Port-au-Prince.1 UEH offered programs of study Medicine,

Law, Engineering, Management/Administration, Agronomy and Veterinary Science, Linguistics, and

Teacher Education. It is the closest parallel to a comprehensive university system as is known in the

west comprising several faculties. Most of the higher education institutions in Haiti represent individual

colleges specializing in 1 or 2 disciplines whether public or private institutions.

UEH is the premier university, not necessarily because it is the best, but rather because it is the

established university. UEH system is state-approved and state-funded, and therefore maintains the

largest student population in Haiti, upwards 15, 000 students. Entrance into the UEH system is very

competitive and somewhat precarious. 2

There also exist private universities. Their number has multiplied exponentially since 1986. The quality

of these institutions varies from school to school. According to INURED, a researched institute located

in Port-au-Prince, of 145 of the private in institutions of higher education (Instituts d’Enseignement

1 INURED. The Challenge of Haitian Higher Education: A Post-earthquake assessment of higher education institutions in the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan area. March 2010. p.4.

<inured.org/docs/TheChallengeforHaitianHigherEd_INURED2010March.pdf>

2 Pierre-Pierre, Garry. Haiti: Earthquake Shatters Already Weak University System. University World News, issue 109. 31 January 2010. 29 April 2010.

<http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20100129064109190 >

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Supérieure, IES) in Haiti, only 10 are accredited and have authority to operate as institutions of higher

education by the Agency of Higher Education and Scientific Research (DESR).3

Throughout the entire country, there exist 8 world-class institutions that are members of the Agence

Universitaire de la Francophone (AUF), a large, French-speaking university system and research network

spanning the globe.4 The list of affiliated universities consist of 1) L’Université d’Etat d’Haïti (UEH), 2)

Ecole Supérieure d’Infotronique d’Haïti (ESIH), 3) Université Quiqueya UNIQ), 4) Université de Notre

Dame (UNDH), 5) Institut Universitaire de Quisqueya Amériques (UNUQUA), 6) Ecole Nationale

Supérieure de Technologie (ENST), 7) Centre de Techniques de Planification et d’Economie Appliquée

(CTPEA), 8) Université Caraïbes (UNICAR). These eight institutions represent “les grandes écoles” of

Haiti.

Earthquake Fallout Without question, the January 12th earthquake has left Haiti reeling. It was as if the country had been

given a blow to the head by a heavyweight fighter. Not only an enormous amount of lives were lost

(approaching 300, 000), but also many of Port-au-Prince’s principal buildings were decimated; and many

of the buildings that survived are badly damaged. Mr. Edmond Muet, Haiti UN Chief, reports the

number of casualties from this earthquake to be twice the number of fatalities resulting from the atomic

bomb dropped on Hiroshima.5 The earthquake has also left more than one million people homeless,

living either under tents or in the streets. Ms. Carmide Sylvant, a graduate student at Ecole Supérieure

3 INURED, p.4.

4 Attié, Patrick, and Daniel Lamaute. 16h43mn10s, January 12th, 2010:

The destruction of the Haitian Higher Education system. Ecole Supérieure d’Infotronique d’Haïti (ESIH), February 2010. Port-au-Prince, Haïti. 29 April 2010. <www.esih.edu>

5 AFP, Up to 300,000 people killed in Haiti quake: UN, 23 April 2010 0725 hrs.

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d’Infotronique d’Haïti, was working on her thesis, intending to graduate this spring when the earthquake

struck.6 Fortunately for her, she was not in a building; her closest sister was not so lucky.

Port-au-Prince, being the central hub for Haiti, was the center for all major government operations,

educational institutions, and business activity. It is reported that 87% of Haiti’s institutions of higher

education were located in Port-au-Prince.7 Hence a significant number of qualified professionals were

concentrated in the region affected most by the earthquake. A significant number of the nation’s elite

professionals died or were displaced by the earthquake.

It is in this milieu that higher education in Haiti has suffered a tremendous loss. Not only has there been

a considerable loss of life and property, but also many of Haiti’s elite have fled the country in search of

more security and stability. One economist and educational consultant for the National Education

Ministry, (Ministère de l’Education Nationale et de la Formation Professionnelle, MENFP), Dr. Sergot

Jacob, confessed that initially he was so shaken emotionally that he decided to move to Canada as a

result of the earthquake trauma.8 Dr. Jacob currently commutes back and forth between Canada and

Haiti in order to continue providing much needed support to the Ministry of National Education

(MENFP). He represents one of many who have escaped to safety and security after the earthquake.

What to do with the large number of students who have been displaced remains the overriding concern

for the higher education sector at present reminds Patrick Attié, Associate Director of Ecole Supérieure

d’Infotronique d’Haïti.9 Based on a study conducted in 2007, the number of students attending

6 Sylvant, Carmide, Personal INTERVIEW Friday, April 16, 2010

7 INURED, p.2.

8 Jacob, Sergot Dr., Economist and Consultant to the Ministère de l’Education Nationale et de la

Formation Professionnelle, Personal INTERVIEW, 20 April 2010.

9 Attié, Patrick, Associate Director of Ecole Supérieure d’Infotronique d’Haïti, Personal INTERVIEW, 19 April 2010.

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universities in Haiti was approximately 40, 000. Of this number approximately 70% percent (28, 000)

attended public universities.10 The remaining 12, 000 are dispersed among a number of private

institutions, which were also largely based in Port-au-Prince. Imagine 30, 000 students returned to the

streets with little or no work opportunities, and no money to continue their studies elsewhere.

The students themselves are also asking the question, “What is going to happen to us?” Offered as

couple of examples to this point, Mackenson Maisonneuve and Giraud Bosier are two students who

were displaced by the earthquake. Mackenson was a first-year student in Chemistry at Chemtech.

Chemtech was the premiere college specializing in chemistry training. Giraud was a second-year law

student at the State University of Haiti. Both schools were leveled by the earthquake. Mackenson and

Giraud have returned home to their families in Les Cayes until they are informed as to what will happen

with their schools or until they are presented with some other suitable opportunity. What will they do

until that time? No one knows. Many students are diverting their energies into volunteer service while

they wait, but this does not answer the growing concern over their individual futures and the future of

their country.11

Additionally, unemployment figures are dismal. Some estimates are as high as 60 - 70% and many who

are employed are subsistence farmers.12 There hardly exist semi-professional or professional level jobs

outside of Port-au-Prince with the exception of teaching, and the pay is deplorable. Students return

10 Wolff, Lawrence, Education in Haiti: The Way Forward, Partnership for Educational Revitalization in the Americas (PREAL), September 2008, p 4.

<oneresponse.info/.../Haiti/.../education_in_haiti_way_forward%5B1%5D.pdf>

11 Lacey, Marc, The New York Times, Education Was Also Leveled By Quake In Haiti, 13 February 2010.

23 April 2010. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/world/americas/14schools.html>

12 Flintoff, Cory, In Haiti, A Low Wage Job Is Better Than None, National Public Radio (NPR), 14 June

2009. 29 April 2010. < http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104403034>

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home to drive a taxi, wait tables, or make bricks which provide a modicum of income and require that

they work from sunup past sundown as a matter of course.

It is also a known fact that the schools outside of Port-au-Prince are unable to provide the same level

and quality of training. There does not exist outside of Port-au-Prince a competent pool of professional

resources able to provide consistent, satisfactory training for students returning from Port-au-Prince. It

is also true that even if money was available for students to attend other institutions, the remaining

facilities are not adequately equipped to absorb or accommodate such a humongous number student

refugees. Mr. Creutzer Mathurin, assistant in the Ministry of Education (MENFP), offers a lucid example:

L’ Université Publique de l’Artibonite aux Gonaïves, which had an enrollment of approximately 1100

students before the earthquake, added 600 new students within a few days after the quake. Many of

them arrived with only the shirt on their backs and a sack carrying their worldly possessions.13 How

does an institution respond effectively to such a large increase in student enrollment so unexpectedly?

Well, in many cases, quality control is not an important priority. More students represent more

business. According to Dr. Jovis Bellot, economist and professor at UEH, it is not uncommon to have

anywhere from 60 – 100 students per class, and there does not exist any teaching assistants.14

Professors are extremely overloaded, poorly paid, and inadequately supervised. Even in the public

universities where tuition is free, the system of corruption that exists is deplorable.15 It may appear

that these poor students have little means to pay. However, many will do whatever is necessary because

higher education is their only ticket out of the misery and degradation that plagues their lives and their

families are depending on them for future support. For parents who can afford to send their children to

13 Mathurin, Creutzer, Assistant, Ministère de l’Education Nationale d’Haiti, Personal INTERVIEW, 20 April 2010.

14 Bellot, Jovis, Professor of Economics, UEH. Personal INTERVIEW. 1 May 2010.

15 INURED, p. 10.

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the Dominican Republic, they often pay as much as U.S. $1000 per month to provide support while their

children study there.16

ESIH Leading in the Way in the Recovery

L’Ecole Supérieure d’Infotronique d’Haïti (ESIH) directed by Mackenson Doucette and Patrick

Attié is a Computer Science school located in Port-au-Prince. It was one of the major

institutions demolished by the earthquake. It was boasting a student population of

approximately 1000 students before the earthquake and it is one of the four institutions that

are in partnership with U.S. universities through the USAID program, Higher Education for

Development (HED): ESIH-Virginia Polytechnic and State University; Université de Quisqueya-

Missouri Southern State University; Université d’Etat d’Haïti, Institut Nationale

d’Administration, Gestion, et des Hautes Etudes Internationales – University of Massachusetts,

Boston; and l’Université de l’Etat d’Haïti, Faculté d’Agronomie et de Médecine Vétérinaire -

University of Florida.17 ESIH maintained 3 computer labs equipped with 250 computers,

complete with inverters and batteries that were completely lost either through destruction or

through pillage in the aftermath. Fortunately for ESIH, they sustained only a small number of

casualties from the earthquake: 13 students and 1 professor in comparison with some of the

other universities like L’Université d’Etat d’Haïti, which sustained more than 300 fatalities.

16 Mathurin.

17 United States. Agency for International Development, Higher Education for Development (HED). Rebuilding Higher Education in Haiti. January 2010. Pdf 29 April 2010.

<http://www.hedprogram.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=gdWNwY36XmI%3D&tabid=225>

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ESIH appears to be the only one of the eight “Grandes Ecoles18” in Haiti that has returned to

normal operations. In an interview with Patrick Attié, he outlines their progress since the

earthquake and their future plans. 19 “After clearing away the bodies from the earthquake, we

immediately began looking for a location to reopen our doors.” Obviously, real estate was

scarce and therefore extremely expensive. Just to illustrate how real estate skyrocketed after

the earthquake, the rental price at one location was U.S. $10, 000 per month. However, the

school was able to locate an existing primary-secondary school, Institut de Maryse Trichet, just

off of Delmas 66 that was willing to share their space with us. The space is extremely limited,

but it permits the school to conduct most of their courses. Three of the classrooms are

outdoors on a converted basketball court.

ESIH re-opened its doors on March 15, 2010 just 2 short months after the catastrophe. Initially,

many students were skeptical about the re-opening of the school. They found it difficult to

believe that the school would be able to organize a place and re-establish operations so quickly.

18 “Les Grandes Ecoles” are elite schools in France. These schools received notable acclaim under the

reign of Napolean Bonaparte. They specialize in training elite civil servants for service in government,

business, and industry.

19 Attié, Patrick.

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Mr. Attié was very clear: the primary objective was to restore some semblance of normality in

the lives of the students. Many students lost their homes, family members, jobs, and schools in

one fell swoop. In his opinion, returning to school was the best medicine available for the

students after such a traumatic experience.

In actual fact, this is what the students wanted as well. Cyndia Jean-Pierre, originally from Cap

Haitian, fought to return to Port-au-Prince.20 Since re-opening their doors, 90% of their

student body and practically all of the instructors have returned to school.

ESIH students are more focused and more devoted than ever. Many so are grateful that they

have the opportunity to continue their studies even amidst such difficult circumstances.

Cherline St. Fort expresses jubilantly her gratitude for being able to return to school.21 At the

moment, ESIH is unable to offer practical courses in Computer Science at present owing to a

lack of computer infrastructure and materials. Their current computer lab consists of 12

Pentium 3s that ESIH shares with Institut de Maryse Trichet. The school’s power systems are

unstable and a home service connection is their source of Internet access.

20 Jean-Pierre, Cyndia, Personal INTERVIEW, 15 April 2010.

21 St. Fort, Cherline, Personal INTERVIEW, 15 April 2010

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Fortunately for ESIH and for the students, student tuition was nearly completely paid. ESIH

requires that student tuition payments for the year are completed on or before first semester

mid-term exams.22 This was one less concern for the students to grapple with and made for an

easier transition to their temporary location. During my visit, the students were undergoing

mid-term exams in order to complete the academic year. As is evident from the photos, there

is no lack of students, and no effort or energy is spared to regain normalcy.

As for the future of ESIH, the administration awaits the release of a U.S. $2.6 million dollar loan

to build a new facility founded upon international standards. The school is in discussion with a

Californian building fabricator to build an earthquake-proof facility made from metal. As one

can imagine, there remains a considerable amount of fear among staff and students about

entering concrete structures. If all proceeds as planned, by April 2011, ESIH will occupy a brand

22 Doucette, Mrs. Mackenson, Administrative Assistant, ESIH, Personal INTERVIEW, 21 April 2010.

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new campus. The staff and students are delighted and feel that their school is undoubtedly the

leader among Haiti’s G-8 (8 Grandes Ecoles).

The new campus offers many new possibilities as well. International Business Machines (IBM)

has already donated 50 laptops through the Virginia Tech-ESIH partnership.23 ESIH is currently

in discussion with Comcel/Voila about the possibility of a partnership to establish a master’s

degree in Telecommunications. ESIH is also in discussions with another local group one to

establish a state of the art library and electronic resource center. Along with this, ESIH wants to

maximize other local and international partnerships to provide their students study abroad

opportunities and other quality learning experiences. The French President has proposed 700

study scholarships for Haitian students who are close to completing their undergraduate

degrees or who want to pursue graduate programs.24 Also, distance learning opportunities and

other non-traditional types of learning experiences with French higher education institutions

are a possibility once the infrastructure is in place.

The Future of Haitian Higher Education

The future of Haitian higher education is looking brighter. In an interview with Mr. Creutzer

Mathurin, and Dr. Sergot Jacob, Representatives of the Ministère de l’Education Nationale et de

la Formation Professionnelle (MENFP), about the future of Haitian higher education, they offer

assurance that government is taking a more scientific approach to educational

23 Attié.

24 Perucca, Brigitte, L'université d'Haïti redoute une "fuite des cerveaux" LeMonde.Fr. 2010 April 6. 2010 April 30. < http://easyasbl.be/seisme-haiti-presse-universite-haiti-redoute-fuite-des-cerveaux.pdf>

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administration.25 The government is currently evaluating the both the needs of basic education

along with needs of higher education in order to construct a system to form a new generation

of professionals who can and will recreate the society. They talked inspiringly about a new

generation of elites who will have the vision and tools to construct a social and physical

environment that will provide a greater sense of comfort and security for the country. Also,

The Ministry of National Education (MENFP) is establishing a strict system of accountability that

will ensure that each aid dollar apportioned to educational development is employed for

maximum effectiveness. Anyone would agree that this kind of planning and implementation is

the beginning of a great society.

Also, Mr. Mathurin spoke about the need for an expansive university system with dedicated

campuses in Haiti. He states “It is higher education that permits the population to make its

contribution to humanity.” According to him, “Of 40, 000 - 50, 000 students that passed the

secondary school graduates in 2003, there were university places for less than half of this

population.” There have been discussions about this possibility of establishing a genuine

university campus for UEH with previous governments, but currently, nothing has been

materialized. Nevertheless, he is insistent that a university culture must be developed

throughout Haiti in order to give the students a new vision of life and society in Haiti.

Finally, Dr. Jacob and Mr. Mathurin addressed the question of partnerships to fortify

institutions of higher education and provide scholarships for students. France, Brazil, and

others have proposed scholarships for students to study abroad. However, for Mr. Mathurin

25 Mathurin and Jacob. Personal INTERVIEW.

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and Dr. Jacob, these offers represent a possible danger for the country in terms of exacerbating

the existing brain drain that already afflicts the country. “It is necessary for the government to

negotiate genuine partnerships that will replenish the country’s loss of human capital: scholars

and highly trained professionals.”26 Mr. Mathurin also speaks about the need for research and

faculty partnerships with universities in the United States, France, and Canada to enhance the

quality of Haiti’s higher education institutions.

Former President Bill Clinton’s declaration of support for higher education comes to breathe

new life into Haiti’s higher education system.27 Bill Clinton’s appointment to oversee billions of

dollars in aid money comes at a time when Haitian young people have little faith in their

government’s ability to deliver on its promises. Bill Clinton’s announcement to make higher

education a priority on the commission’s agenda and to reopen Haiti’s universities brings hope

and relief to many displaced university students.

In a focus group at ESIH on the Future of Haitian Higher Education, students expressed

disenchantment at the manner in which the Haitian government has responded to the

earthquake and the lack of systemic support available for the reconstruction of Haiti’s higher

education institutions.28 The students also agreed that the lack of preparation for and

response to the earth quake demonstrated a dearth of leadership and professional resources

within the country. As constituents, but more importantly as stakeholders, they are concerned

26 Mathurin and Jacob.

27 Marklein, Mary Beth. Bill Clinton focuses efforts on Haiti’s higher education. USA Today, 21 April

2010. 21 April 2010. <http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010–04-22-

clintonhaiti22_ST_N.htm>

28 Focus Group, The Future of Haitian Higher Education, ESIH, 20 April 2010.

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for the future welfare of a country that has a weak higher education system. As Charles

Emmanuel Hilaire exclaimed, “a country without a higher education system represents no

country at all.” He is correct in saying that a country without a higher education system offers

little to no future for its constituents.

15

Works Cited Associated Foreign Press (AFP). Up to 300,000 people killed in Haiti quake. Port-au-Prince, 23 April 2010.

Attié, Patrick and Daniel Lamaute. "16h43mn10s, January 12th, 2010:The destruction of the Haitian

Higher Education system." February 2010. Ecole Superieure d'Infotronique d'Haiti (ESIH). 29 April 2010

<www.esih.edu>.

Attié, Patrick. Associate Director, Ecole Superieure d'Infotronique d'Haïti Lynn Black. 19 April 2010.

Bellot, Dr. Jovis. Professor of Economics, UEH Lynn Black. 1 May 2010.

Doucette, Mrs. Mackenson. Administrative Assistant Lynn Black. 21 April 2010.

Flintoff, Cory. "In Haiti, A Low Wage Job Is Better Than None." 14 June 2009. National Public Radio

(NPR). 29 April 2010 <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104403034>.

Interuniversity Institute for Research and Development (INURED). "The Challenge for Haitian Higher

Education." March 2010. INURED. 21 April 2010

<inured.org/docs/TheChallengeforHaitianHigherEd_INURED2010March.pdf>.

Jacob, Dr. Sergot. Economist and Consultant to MENFP Lynn Black. 20 April 2010.

Jean-Pierre, Cyndia. ESIH Student Lynn Black. 15 April 2010.

Lacey, Marc. "Education Was Also Leveled By Quake in Haiti." 13 February 2010. The New York Times. 23

April 2010 <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/world/americas/14schools.html>.

Marklein, Mary Beth. "Bill Clinton focuses efforts on Haiti's higher education." 21 April 2010. USA Today.

21 April 2010 <http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010–04-22-clintonhaiti22_ST_N.htm>.

Mathurin, Creutzer. Coordinator, Educational Pilot Program, MENFP Lynn Black. 20 April 2010.

Perucca, Brigitte. "L'université d'Haïti redoute une "fuite des cerveaux"." 6 April 2010. Lemonde.FR. 30

April 2010 <http://easyasbl.be/seisme-haiti-presse-universite-haiti-redoute-fuite-des-cerveaux.pdf>.

Pierre-Piere, Garry. University World News. 31 January 2010. 29 April 2010

<http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20100129064109190 >.

St. Fort, Cherline. ESIH Student Lynn Black. 15 April 2010.

Sylvant, Carmide. ESIH Student Lynn Black. 16 April 2010.

United States Agency for International Development (USAID). "Rebuilding Higher Education in Haiti."

January 2010. Higher Education for Development. 29 April 2010

<http://www.hedprogram.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=gdWNwY36XmI%3D&tabid=225>.

Wolff, Lawrence. Education in Haiti: The Way Forward. September 2008.

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APPENDICES

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Follow-up Report on ESIH after the Earthquake

ESIH Administration

1. What has been the greatest impact of the earthquake on your institution?

Quel est le plus grand inconvénient (problème) qui existe après le séisme du 12 janvier 2010 pour

ton institution ?

Ki sa se pi gwo pwoblem ki te presente pou lekol nou aprè trembleman tè-a?

2. What have been your most urgent concerns since the earthquake? And what priorities have you

established as a result of the changes that you have had to make due to your change in facilities?

Quelles sont les principales préoccupations d’urgent après le tremblement de terre? Vue de la

situation dans laquelle nous nous évoluons, quel est la priorité que nous accordons à cette

institution?

Ki sa ki te pi urgent priorite depi trembleman tè-a ? Koman priorites nou te chanje akoz de

deplasman lekol nou ?

3. What limitations do your new facilities impose upon your ability to provide adequate

student/administratives services? Labs, libraries, governance, information systems, staff quality, and

quality control (assessment and evaluation processes)

Quel est l’inconvénient de la délimitation de cette institution empêche de la jouissance d’un service

adéquat aux élèves ?

Ki limitations nan servis nou offri nan lekol nou akoz de nouvo lokal ?

4. How has the earthquake affected the staff’s and faculty’s ability to adequately perform their jobs?

What impact has their difficulties inflicted upon the institution?

Comment le tremblement de terre a affecté la performance des employées de l’éducation ou de

l’institution ? Quel impact leurs difficultés ont infligés à l’institution ?

Koman kriz nan e deplasman te affecte performans profesè yo et employe yo ?

5. What adjustments have you made to your curriculum (total approach to teaching methodology and

instructional delivery) as a result of your new environment?

Quel mode de changement que vous pouvez mettre en relief pour la bonne marche de l’institution

quant à votre nouvel environnement ?

Ki chanjman nou te fè nan kirikilim nou (apwoch metodologik et anseyeman nan sal)

6. In your opinion, how well have the students rebounded academically, emotionally/psychologically

from the effects of the earthquake? How many surviving students have been unable to return to

school for one reason or another?

18

Comment les étudiants ont été réagis après le séisme. (Sur le plan psychologie, émotionnel,

économique, et éducatif ?) Combien d’étudiants qui ne peuvent pas fréquenter l’université

aujourd’hui (ou après le séisme)?

Silvouplè dekri reaksyon etidyan yo anfas kriz nan. Konbyen etidyan ki pa tounen aprè trembleman

tè-a ? Ki kondisyon psychologik, mental etidyan yo presente.

7. What kind of opportunities, i.e. student transfers, faculty exchanges, applied research, etc., do you

hope to be able to provide your current/potential student body in regards to the future

development and reorganization of your institution?

Quel gens d’opportunités que vous pouvez mettre au profit des étudiants dans votre

établissement pour le développement de l’institution? (échange d’étudiants, échange de

professeurs, recherche appliquée, etc.)

Ki benefis nou swete ap vin jouin nou pou ede enstitisyon soti anba kriz nan ?

8. What has been the level of stakeholder participation in the rebuilding/reorganization process since

the earthquake? How much financial/material support have you received as a result of the

earthquake? Has the support that you have received been sufficient to respond to your current

needs?

Comment les investisseurs de cet établissement a pris part sur le plan économique et morale pour le

renouvellement de l’institution ? Est-ce que c’était suffisante ce que vous obtenez de la part des

investisseurs ?

Koman investisè yo te ede nou soti anba kriz nan ?

9. What new partnerships have developed as a result of the earthquake? How will these partnerships

enhance your ability to provide distance learning opportunities, professional and workforce

development?

Est-ce que tremblement de terre vous donne de l’occasion de rencontrer de nouveaux partenaires

qui vous facilite l’éducation à distance et des opportunités de développer les ressources humaines?

Ki nouvo patenè nou te fè akoz de kriz nan ? Ki benefis yo va pòte pou developman institisyon

tankou pwogram edikasyon à distans ou pwogram pou develope resous himen yo ?

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Student Interviews

1. What has been the most significant challenge for you to continue your educational career since the

earthquake?

Quel a été le défi le plus significatif pour que continuiez-vous vos études depuis le tremblement de

terre ?

Ki sa se pi gwo defi pou kontinye edikasyon ou akoz de kriz trembleman de tè-a?

2. How have the stresses resulting from the earthquake (emotional/psychological/life challenges, i.e.,

housing, financial) affected your ability to perform academically? What is it like going to class right

now?

Comment les contraintes du séisme (émotionnelle, psychologie, défis de la vie, i.e., financière) ont

diminués votre performance académique ?

Ki stress ki anpeche nou fè travay nou dwe fè nan lekol ?

3. What kind of support system (i.e., family, personal/educational counselors, peer support,

government aid, scholarship assistance) do you have available to help you cope with the current

stresses and responsibilities?

Quel réseau du support (la famille, appui de pair, les conseillers éducatifs, l’aide publique, bourse

d’études) avez-vous pour vous aider à faire face aux actuelles contraintes et responsabilités ?

Eske gen you rezo dede pou ede nou tankou etidyan soti anba stress ki frappe nou akoz de

trembleman tè-a ?

4. Is your academic program challenging? Well-structured? Does it employ modern

educational/instructional techniques in your opinion?

Est-ce que votre programme d’universitaire est provocant ? Bien-structuré ? Utilise-t-il les

techniques d’instruction modernes à votre avis ?

Ki pwoblem yo ki anfas nou nan funksyonman lekol kounye-a

5. Identify 3 areas of strength in ESIH.

Identifiez 3 points forts dans l’ESIH ?

6. Identify 3 areas of weakness in ESIH?

Identifiez 3 points faible dans l’ESIH ?

7. What is your biggest concern regarding your education?

Quelle est votre plus grande préoccupation au sujet de votre éducation ?

Ki sa se pi gwo

8. What kind of opportunities do you believe will be open to you in your field when you graduate?

20

Quelles sont les opportunités croyez-vous seront ouvert pour vous dans votre domaine lorsque vous

obtenez votre diplôme ?

21

Faculty Interviews

1. What has been the most significant challenge teaching in the classroom since the earthquake?

Quel est le plus grand défi pour enseigner dans la salle de classe depuis le séisme ?

2. How have the stresses resulting from the earthquake (emotional/psychological/life challenges, i.e.,

housing, financial, etc) inhibited your ability to perform your job inside and outside of the classroom

adequately? (For example, class attendance, class preparation, grading assignments, conducting

classroom exercises, etc.)

Comment les contraintes du séisme ont inhibé votre capacité à accomplir votre travail à l’intérieur

et à l’extérieur de la classe ? Par exemple, l’absence des cours, la préparation des cours, des travaux

en classe, et l’évaluation des étudiants.

3. What administrative problems prevent you from performing your job academically?

Quels problèmes administratifs vous empêchent dans la performance de votre travail académique ?

4. What materials do you lack to adequately provide instruction?

Quels matériels manquez-vous pour donner d’instruction adéquate ?

5. How supportive do you believe the administration is of your difficulties?

À quel point recevez-vous du support de l’administration ?

6. Identify 3 areas of strength in ESIH.

Identifiez 3 points forts dans l’ESIH ?

7. Identify 3 areas of weakness in ESIH?

Identifiez 3 points faibles dans l’ESIH ?

8. What suggestions would you make for improving the faculty environment at ESIH?

Quelles suggestions feriez-vous pour améliorer l’environnement de corps professoral à l’ESIH ?

22

ESIH Focus Group Questions

Goal: To discuss Haitian H.E. priorities and policies and to formulate possible alternative paths to

renewal of Higher Education. (Pour discuter les priorités et les politiques de l’éducation supérieure et de

formuler des voies possibles à la rénovation de l’enseignement supérieure)

Ground Rules: (Les principes de gérer la discussion)

1. Respect for one another’s ideas (respecter les idées des autres)

2. No grandstanding (ne pas dominer la discussion)

Questions:

1. What was your initial reaction to the devastation of the earthquake on universities in Haiti?

Qu’est-ce que c’était votre réaction initiale à la dévastation du tremblement de terre sur les

universités en Haïti ?

2. What are your feelings about how the government has responded to the fallout from the

earthquake and to the needs of displaced students?

Quel sont vos sentiments au sujet de la façon dont le gouvernement a répondu au retombées du

tremblement de terre et aux besoins aux élèves déplacés ?

3. How has the earthquake informed Haiti about how it should reform its H.E. priorities and

policies?

Comment le tremblement de terre a informé sur la façon dont Haïti devrait reformer ses

priorités et politiques sur l’éducation supérieure ?

4. What opportunities do you hope will develop for Haitian H.E. from the aid that comes into the

country?

Quelles sont les opportunités espérez-vous développer pour l’éducation supérieure de l’aide qui

vient dans le pays ?

5. What vision of tomorrow do you have for Haitian H.E.? What paths do we need to take to arrive

there?

Quelle vision de demain avez-vous pour l’éducation supérieure en Haïti? Quelles sont les

chemins que nous devons prendre pour y arriver ?

23

Participants :

1. Angelo Loubin

2. Frederick Jean-Guillaume

3. Harold Mathurin

4. Charles Emmanuel Hilaire

5. Jean Dumar Maurice

6. Joanna Judeline Dolivard

7. Marie Claudia Valsaint

24

Interview with Creutzer Mathurin and Dr. Sergot Jacob – The Future of Higher Education in

Haiti

1. What level of priority is reconstructing H.E. on the government’s list?

2. What plans does the government have to help the universities rebuild their campuses?

3. What discussions have there been about how foreign aid will be used in reconstructing H.E.?

4. What partnerships have developed with other countries in terms of providing scholarships and

study opportunities for Haitian students? How will these programs be implemented?

5. What direction(s) would you like to see Haitian higher education take now that it has a new

start?