HAITI: Lessons From The Past Need To Be Learned
Leslie John Griffiths is a British Methodist Minister and Life Peer in the House of Lords. Here he sheds light on the history of a people determined from the birth of their country in 1804 to ensure education allows them to be liberated.
I’m delighted to make a small contribution to this journal and to honour the work of the Steve Sinnott Foundation. I became aware of the Foundation’s work through my own work in and for the Caribbean Republic of Haiti. This brought me together with Ann Beatty and, hey presto, we found mutual points of interest and experience that led, without too much delay, to the invitation to write this piece.
Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) argues for sustainable development and accessible education for all. The trouble with these goals is that they allow us to imagine that they’ve only recently been formulated. Yet my whole life has been focused on this particular goal for half a century and in the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. And it had been a challenge for generations before that. Let me bring readers into the picture.
I’m a Methodist minister and my first appointment on leaving Cambridge was to Haiti. I found myself with responsibility for 48 rural communities spread across the southern peninsula of this, the first black republic in the world. Read William Wordsworth’s astonishing sonnet for Toussaint Louverture to get the spirit of the people of this country at the moment of its birth in 1804. The communities I served were almost inaccessible, the people were largely illiterate, and I had no knowledge of the language they spoke.
President Pétion, an early head of state in Haiti, had invited the Methodist people of the United Kingdom to send missionaries with an expertise in education to help in the building of this new and struggling nation. Two men who’d been formed by the British and Foreign Schools’ Society arrived in 1817 and opened a school on the monitorial principle. The President welcomed this development for, he wrote, “L’Education lève un homme ã la dignité de son être (Education raises a person to their full dignity as a human being).” That aphorism was painted over the entry of all the Methodist schools that were built in the following years. It matches Steve Sinnott’s description of education as “the great liberator.”
In the 1920s, a remarkable Irish missionary named Ormonde McConnell recognised that the education on offer in Haiti was taught in French while the population at large spoke their local Kreyòl. He brought in internationally renowned linguistic experts and, for the very first time, developed an orthography for the local tongue. Soon, schools were being developed in the rural areas as well as in the towns and cities and pupils were being taught in their native language.
In the years I lived in Haiti (1970 – 1980), I had some responsibility for a nation-wide network of schools. For a number of years, I was deputy head of our prestigious Lycée in the capital city. The church, under the direction of Swiss educators, had developed an Institute for the training of rural teachers; it was thoroughly ecumenical and prepared teachers for the most remote communities in the land. They were to teach in both French and Kreyòl. Books were prepared on agriculture, hygiene, community development and such subjects. And in both languages. It was cutting edge pedagogy; the Institute is now almost 60 years old.
All of these developments were intended to offer an education to a population desperately in need of it. It was painful to hear a few months ago that, because of yet more political unrest, it had been impossible to re-open schools after the summer break in October 2019. Sadly, not long after being reopened, schools in Haiti, like many around the world, are once again closed due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
It has been so encouraging to learn that the Steve Sinnott Foundation has been working in Haiti for the last decade. It’s my hope that we can find a way to bring its work into the same orbit as the work I’ve described above.
Education does indeed raise people to the very height of their human potential. This was the case from the beginning of Haiti’s independent history. It remains true now. And it must surely be key to any future well-being towards which the people of Haiti and their friends around the world aspire.
Article from Engage Issue 20.
BY LORD GRIFFITHS OF BURRY PORT • May 21, 2021
In our continued commitment to ensuring quality and inclusive education for every child, we’ve taken our advocacy to a new level by empowering the next generation to lead the conversation. In partnership with The Gambia Teachers Union, we recently convened the Foundation’s Young Ambassadors for a vibrant day of engagement dedicated to promoting the right to education for all. The event brought together passionate students from selected senior secondary schools across Region One, including St. John’s School for the Deaf, to explore what it truly means to make education inclusive, equitable, and accessible to every learner.
The Steve Sinnott Foundation is proud to celebrate the inspirational winners of the 2025 Seeds of Hope for a Better Future competition, a global initiative supported by UNESCO that brings together creativity, community, and a shared commitment to peace and sustainability. This unique project invited schools across the world from nursery and primary through to secondary and high school to explore the values of peace, cultural understanding, and care for the planet. In the face of climate change, young people were asked to tell their stories through art, performance, and digital creativity, highlighting how small seeds of action can grow into powerful movements for hope. The results have been extraordinary. Schools in France, the UK, Gambia, Haiti, and Kenya have been recognised for their outstanding contributions, with projects ranging from community gardens and sculptures to dance performances and illustrated stories. Each winner has shown how young voices and imagination can nurture peace and sustainability in ways that inspire us all. The full Awards Ceremony can be watched linked here: S eeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025 Highlights from the Winners Oak View Primary and Nursery School (UK) created Faces of Feeling, a collection of joyful sculptures already exhibited in a local gallery. Judges praised their work as supporting the wellbeing of others and embodying the idea of children as true “Seeds of Hope.” St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School (Gambia) painted Campaign for a Sustainable Banjul , reflecting real-world climate action in their city. The judges described it as “a most deserving and robust winner.” In France , the Jardin d'Enfants des Nations Unies (United Nations Nursery School) won hearts with Wind of Peace , where 5-6 year olds combined drawings, paintings, and tree planting to champion reforestation. Lyng Hall Secondary School, Coventry (UK) collaborated with Henley Green Primary and the UK Literacy Association to produce The Heart Shaped Hole – an innovative and metaphorical take on Seeds of Hope. Earlsdon Primary School, Coventry (UK) impressed with Primary Plot , a project that included gardening with the visually impaired, reflecting inclusivity and sustainability. A remarkable cross-collaboration between 21 schools across West Yorkshire, Essex, and Tower Hamlets (UK) resulted in Lights, Camera, Score , an ambitious combination of animation, music, and storytelling. CIMA Community School of Hope, Haiti shared Konbit - a video of dance and solidarity, inspiring villages to work together for peace and dignity. Daraja Academy, Kenya presented an ambitious and optimistic project integrating sustainability into everyday school life. Celebrating Creativity and Peace This year’s competition was judged by an impressive panel of artists, writers, and cultural leaders including Sir Antony Gormley, Edmund de Waal, Dame Liz Forgan, Hugh Quarshie, and Rathna Ramanathan. Their collective expertise highlighted the quality and depth of the entries, each of which showed how art can be a powerful tool for global understanding and change. The Seeds of Hope initiative is part of UNESCO UK’s Arts and Culture for Peace programme, first launched in 2022. It has grown from earlier collaborations such as the Coventry Young Ambassadors’ Islands of Peace Japanese Garden , opened in 2021 a living reminder that seeds planted in communities can continue to flourish. Highlights from the ceremony can be found here at this playlist Looking Ahead As Ann Beatty, UNESCO ASPnet UK National Coordinator , shared: “The quality of entries was extraordinary. We are delighted at the response to this amazing initiative in collaboration with our international partners.” And in the words of judge Jannette Cheong : “Young people around the world understand well the value of peace and tolerant relationships between cultures. Their creativity is an inspiration to all of us.” At The Steve Sinnott Foundation, we believe that education is the seed from which hope grows. The Seeds of Hope competition is a shining example of how young people through creativity, compassion, and collaboration are already shaping a more peaceful and sustainable future. You can access the full online awards presentation here: Seeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025
The journey to strengthen the well-being and success of learners in The Gambia continues with a renewed commitment to guidance and counselling in schools. By August 14th 2025, we have successfully trained 140 educators across 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑 & 𝟒 under our Guidance & Counselling Programme. A programme designed to equip educators with the skills to support students’ academic, social, and emotional development. Region 3 Teachers Complete Level 2 Training On Wednesday, 6th August, thirty teachers from Region 3 (North Bank Region) began a three-day Level 2 Guidance and Counselling training at the Christian Council in Kanifing. This programme built on their earlier Level 1 training in Farafenni, with a focus on deepening their capacity to serve as school-based counsellors. The training concluded with a certificate presentation ceremony, recognising the teachers’ commitment and marking an important step in their professional development. These certificates symbolize more than an achievement; they represent each teacher’s readiness to provide psychosocial support, guidance, and mentorship to learners across their schools.
