By Dr. Ibrahim Alladin
“If I were to remain silent, I’d be guilty of complicity” (Albert Einstein)
In the Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970), the Brazilian philosopher Paula Freire writes: “Education thus becomes an act of depositing, in which the students are the depositories and the teacher is the depositor. Instead of communicating, the teacher issues communiques and makes deposits while the students patiently receive, memorize, and repeat. This is the ‘banking’ concept of education…” (p. 72), imprisons students’ minds. To liberate the child, the banking concept of education must be eliminated.
In Mauritius, education is a hotly contested topic. Almost every day there is a write-up somewhere that raises educational concerns. Over the years many reports, consultations, conferences, and workshops have been held to address these concerns. Some of these reports include:
Ward Report 1944
Manual for Reorganisation
Report on the Ministry of Education 1978
The Master Plan for Education for 2000 and beyond
White Paper on Education
Education and Human Resources Strategy Plan 2008-2020
The National Report on Education for Mauritius
The Impact of Nine-Year Schooling on Higher Learning in Mauritius
These reports have diagnosed the deficiencies and proposed ambitious reform plans. Yet, in 2025, the issues are as critical as they were decades ago. It is fashionable for every government that takes power to come up with its educational agenda for reforms. The rhetoric begins and ambitious plans are laid out. Children are experimented upon and become “pawns” in the process. The damage is irreparable. Today, the debate lingers on with proposed changes and solutions. Why is the educational system deficient? Let’s get down to the basics.
An old and archaic system
A former French and British colony, Mauritius has inherited an outdated educational system that is no longer relevant to the needs of country. The focus on achievement and examinations has created a “rat race” in the school system. The curriculum is rigid, and examination-centered and teaching is not about learning but about passing tests and examinations. Instead of learning, students are taught chunks of information that they memorise as argued by Freire. Rote learning takes away the ability to think, reflect, and solve problems. The development of social skills and other competencies is minimal to non-existent.
Over the years a hierarchy has evolved within schools so that there are few schools/colleges that are recognised and parents aspire to send their children to these state and elitist “A” status institutions. Other schools are left behind and they are classified as “B” status institutions. Here is a system that has created differentiation and not all schools have the same facilities and same recognition. All schools should be equal. This is the first problem: inequality among institutions and the spread of teachers. The system is old, outdated, and bureaucratic. Proper reforms require a bold and coordinated effort. There is a lot of discussion but the lack of political to break the current system is often lacking. Changes and reforms are not the same thing. Reforms should be at the societal level backed up by institutional changes.
Abolish the ‘laureate system”
The success of a few is celebrated nationally, and every year, the “laureates” are paraded as role models and national heroes. Those who do not make the list are neglected. The focus is on achievement, passing exams, and getting top grades. Academic success is based on these premises. The rest are humiliated for being national failures. Where do they end up and how much motivation do they get to continue their schooling? Schools must be inclusive and not exclusive.
The laureate system is a poor investment with little return. Those who graduate from British universities pursue their own career and few return to Mauritius. The system cannot absorb them. The financial incentives are limited to attract them.
The point is simple: Value your child, not the piece of paper. Success should not be defined based on grades and examinations. The entire assessment system must be reevaluated. Many countries are doing away with public examinations and replacing them with more humane alternatives. The laureate system does not serve a purpose. Instead, it reinforces an elitist achievement-based system. It is time to get rid of it. A system of private tuition is destroying the learning abilities of children, teachers encourage it and parents want it. An efficient and egalitarian school system does not require a private tuition industry. Value non-academic skills and encourage kids to develop their interests.
As a professor, I have spent my entire professional career in academia. I know what does not work. In 1988, I was a visiting professor at the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE). At a public lecture, I stated that the CPE should be abolished and that Kreol should be introduced as a medium of instruction. I was not taken seriously at that time. Thirty years later, people have woken up to this reality.
Societal change and meritocracy
The school cannot be responsible for all the ills in the society. The malaise in education is a societal problem. There is a mindset that needs to be changed. It starts with parents. They must value their children and give them the time they need at home. Children must be part of the decisions that affect their lives. Parents make all the decisions excluding the children. They think they have all the answers and in the process alienate their children. Is the system designed to engage children in extra-curricular activities after school hours? The short answer is no. The time is taken up with private tuition and parents see their children in the evening. If the society is not meritocratic, its institutions will reflect it. The school system is not meritocratic. Equality of educational opportunity seems far away.
Parents reinforce an elitist and unequal system. Success is celebrated and failures are frowned upon. Yet, everyone advocates meritocracy. There has to be a change in attitude and perception. Many Mauritians suffer a sense of inferiority complex. They feel uncomfortable speaking Kreol in public. As soon as they enter a supermarket or a shopping mall, they shift to French, thus confusing the child. In Mauritius, English is the official language and Kreol is the national language. As long as there is denial, the mindset will continue. Research has shown that children studying in their mother tongue are more likely to succeed in school. The kreolisation process has been slow and there is resistance.
The hiring process is yet another example of the archaic system. Why are people hired with five or six credits at the School Certificate level in one sitting? There is nothing wrong with multiple sittings, it provides more opportunities. One government favours three credits for further education and another favours five credits. One creates academies and elite schools, another dismantles them. This has been going on. Constant political interference without a long-term vision has been a bleeding system that is already characterised by deficiencies.
The educational system is run by bureaucrats who sit in their ivory towers detached from the field. Few spend time in schools, with the children and sit in the classroom with teachers. Pedagogues should be making decisions and advising on policies, not bureaucrats motivated by political ideologies.
The media is equally responsible. It hammers the citizens with so much negativity that creates a psychosis of fear. Ask children or teenagers who are their role models. Parents should be the first role models. Many children are unable to name a role model in the country. Role modelling is key to developing personalities, skills and competencies. There is too much negative press and preoccupation with political debates. Restore positive behaviour and enforce a sense of belonging and well-being.
A system at risk
More reports and conferences are not going to reveal anything new. Student-centred learning, equality of educational opportunity, holistic learning, participatory learning, remedial education, ongoing assessment, progressive teaching methods, inclusive curriculum, etc. feature prominently in the previous reports. It has all been said, yet the system is deficient, mismanaged, and absorbing substantial resources. There is wastage and the percentage of dropouts at all levels remains high.
If the system continues to celebrate the academic success of a few and practises exclusion, children will be at risk. Bullying, drug addiction, behavioural problems and a breakdown of discipline are symptomatic of a system that has not been able to grasp the problem. Schools are not equipped to handle these societal problems. A child whose self-esteem is low or who witnesses domestic violence is likely to exhibit behavioural problems. It is not the role of the school to fix this. Blaming teachers and schools is running away from the problem. Children see schools as repressive institutions. Learning is regimented. Ask children if they enjoy going to school.
Research has indicated that the early years of a child are most important. The formative years or developmental stage should receive more attention. Pre-schooling is where the real investment in education begins. All children should get a basic education in numeracy, literacy and comprehension. Their progress should be monitored at every level. Many do not have a solid foundation to pursue their schooling, hence, they drop out.
A few years ago I recommended the creation of a Teaching and Learning Centre to support the MIE. The Nine-Year Schooling was dumped in the MIE to implement and invent the wheels. In Canada, where I was involved, it took us three years to prepare for secondary education reforms. In Mauritius, it started within a few weeks and teachers were poorly equipped to handle the new curriculum. This is an example of a piecemeal reform and will not yield the desired result. The Nine-Year schooling must be strengthened. Teachers should be trained and there should be ongoing pre- and in-service professional development which the MIE cannot handle. The MIE is already overburdened.
The creation of school zones or school boards should be given the autonomy to operate similar to countries like Canada, which reduces political interference. All schools should be the same so that there is no pecking order.
Fixing the system
There is no need for another glossy report. It will be shelved like previous ones. It is better to examine why previous policies have failed. There has been limited success but the problems have amplified. Behavioural problems, suicidal tendencies, drug addiction and violence are more visible. Fixing the system requires political will, societal changes, institutional support and national coordination. The failure of the school system is a societal failure and its inability to respond to changes and global challenges.
Education does not exist in a vacuum. Any attempt to reform the system must engage the entire society. All the institutions are connected. Any change at one level should be complemented at another level. Education, the labour market and the economy are all connected. The absence of partnerships, for example private/public, indicates a weakness in the system. As long as the public education system is weak and deficient, a private system will evolve. Private schooling is mushrooming in Mauritius. A dual system causes further inequality.
Previous reports came up with models and ambitious plans to address the deficiencies and inefficiencies. But they still remain. Why has implementation failed? The lack of political will, a mindset with tunnel vision and the inability of society to respond have pushed the system into a chasm. Reforming the education system requires societal change.