Haitian Educational Policies (1804-1843) Put to the Test of the Present: Toward a Solidaristic Humanism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5902/1984644496567Keywords:
Haiti, Educational Policies, Humanism, SolidarityAbstract
This article examines Haitian educational policies developed between 1804 and 1843 and their resonance in contemporary debates on education and solidaristic humanism. The aim is to bring into dialogue the educational orientations emerging from the immediate post-independence period with current reforms and initiatives, in order to reflect on the conditions for an education grounded in solidarity and the common good. The methodology is based on a qualitative analysis of constitutional texts (Haïti, 1805, 1816, 1987), national educational plans (Haïti, 1982, 2018), international educational reports (Francisco, 2019; UNESCO, 2022), and academic works on Haitian education (Joint, 2005; Brutus, 1948; St Victor and Martiniak, 2024, among others). The analysis is guided by the theoretical contributions of Maritain (1936), Freire (1987), Francisco (2019), and M.-R. Trouillot (1990, 1995). The results show that, although education was initially conceived as a tool for nation-building and civic formation, its concrete implementation remained marked by an elitist and exclusionary logic. This tension, already present in the 19th century, continues in contemporary challenges related to access, quality, and educational inclusion. In conclusion, the article highlights the need for an educational project that, by drawing lessons from history, moves toward a genuine solidaristic humanism capable of reconciling national memory, social justice, and collective future.
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