Common Sense in Education

By Nita Chicooree-Mercier

The topic of education is too important to be left solely in the hands of politicians without consulting relevant partners, such as experienced educators, sociologists, and child psychologists. Fortunately, the current minister is conducting extensive consultations, including a two-day session starting Monday and an upcoming assembly scheduled for April.

By now, any honest citizen who has considered the views published by journalists in the press and aired on private radio stations should be aware of the lack of objectivity that permeates the media’s assessment of public education. Why? The media in Mauritius has a history of systematically running down anything that comes out of the Ministry of Education, believing that policies implemented there are inherently flawed. Their opinions are not based on any in-depth analysis of the system itself or a critique of its shortcomings, but rather on the belief that ministers, and their aides have no real understanding of what education truly means. Most of these media spokespersons and opinion makers send their children to private French schools, thereby fostering a condescending attitude toward public education. This attitude has been fuelled for decades by resentment over the selective system that has sent 11-year-olds to prestigious schools.

The main argument often shouted from rooftops has been that the system “robs children of their childhood”. The selection process was wrongly seen as elitist and discriminatory toward other children. However, children from all social backgrounds — whether they are the children of labourers, tailors, shopkeepers, food vendors, farmers, masons, nurses, teachers, or doctors — could make their way to these “star” schools. The process was based on merit, not on favouritism, the colour of the skin, creed, or race. Now that the former minister has already streamlined the CPE for a smoother transition to college by delaying exams until Grade 9 (formerly Form 3), one might wonder if there are plans to postpone it further.

The new minister has vaguely hinted at this idea on television, citing an example from Japan, where teenagers in secondary schools do not take exams until the age of 14 or 15. However, the economic and socio-cultural context of Japan cannot be overlooked. Japan moved from a cut-throat competitive education system in the 1980s and 1990s, which helped propel it to the world’s second-largest economy, but with it came a high rate of teenage suicide. Has Mauritius faced similar issues? In today’s Japan, college pupils clean their classrooms at the end of the day before heading home. This practice is meant to instil a sense of civic responsibility and discipline in youngsters. Japan’s homogeneous ethnic group and culture are factors that need to be considered before blindly adopting policies from such a specific context.

There are several points in primary and secondary education that require serious attention, such as the burden of unnecessary subjects heaped on young minds at an early age. For instance, Environmental Studies — should 13-14-year-olds be required to attain 4 credits in such a subject? Should standards be lowered to allow a greater number of pupils to take part in exams? Judging from the minister’s statements, it seems that the introduction of 3 credits may be on the cards to be more inclusive. However, does the fault of low performance lie in the number of subjects, or are there other factors restricting students’ ability to invest in their studies?

Youngsters should understand that the years spent in college are meant to prepare them for their future. In Australia, authorities are trying to ban Facebook and TikTok for those under 16, despite some opposition. Given the dire state of formal education in advanced countries, such a measure may actually be a reasonable one. In Mauritius, however, this proposal is likely to provoke protests from the youth, supported by the media.Read More… Become a Subscriber

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 6 December 2024