Educational Reform - Mahend Gungapersad: "We Will Not Alter the Specificity"
The Minister of Education, Dr. Mahend Gungapersad, met with students and parents on Thursday, February 5, at the Paul Octave Wiehe auditorium in RĂ©duit. Following a series of consultations, a trend is emerging concerning the revision of grading for the PSAC, which appears to be the preferred option among participants.
"We will not change the specificity of any college," stated Dr. Mahend Gungapersad during the afternoon meeting with parents. This was in response to a parent's inquiry about the future of Catholic colleges invited to participate in the reform as national colleges. He emphasized his intention to respect these institutions: "We aim to be respectful of the institutions' achievements and will consider how to proceed if the specifics of these schools hinder their integration into our proposals."
The Minister reiterated that he is not there to impose changes. "Everything will be done through dialogue, transparency, and mutual respect. We have had meetings with Mgr. Jean Michaël Durhône, but nothing has been finalized yet."
This meeting is part of a series the Minister plans to hold with education stakeholders as part of the Blueprint publication process. "After consulting with partners, students, and parents, we now need to examine all the ideas we have received. We must see what we will propose to the National Assembly regarding the Blueprint publication."
The consultations have outlined a trend regarding the upcoming reform. The Minister noted that option 1 has been favored by the public. "We have identified a trend, and I can say on the spot that it is option 1 that is most popular," he shared.
In his address, Minister Gungapersad emphasized that this approach is part of a democratic process aimed at giving people a voice in the educational reform. He added that the Blueprint will be designed based on data, technical work, and contributions from consultations.
He also highlighted the importance of student well-being, freedom of expression, and diversity of opinions, stressing that the reform cannot be uniform or imposed.
The Minister encouraged students to become ambassadors of values in their institutions by cultivating discipline and respect. According to him, the education system must meet the needs of all learners—whether they are high achievers, average, or struggling—because every child matters, regardless of their academic results or background. Special attention must also be given to protecting the most vulnerable students.
Options
During the meetings, the Chief Technical Officer of the ministry, Ricaud Auckbur, presented the two proposed options.
Option 1
- Entry into Grade 7 at national and regional colleges based on the Primary School Achievement Certificate (PSAC).
- Elimination of the National Certificate of Education (NCE).
- All students directed to a regional college based on their PSAC results.
- Students who do not meet the required level will join the Foundation Programme in Literacy, Numeracy, and Skills (FPLNS).
- About 2,400 students can access one of the 21 national colleges (twelve former academies, five national colleges, and four private college institutions or SeDEC).
Option 2
- Maintain the PSAC for entry into Grade 7 in regional schools.
- Admission to Grade 10 in national colleges based on a revised NCE.
- Students who do not meet the required level in Grade 7 will join the FPLNS.
- Approximately 2,400 students can access the 21 national colleges in Grade 10 based on their NCE results.
National colleges may operate in a mixed mode or as single-gender institutions, with the exception of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI), which will remain mixed.
Ricaud Auckbur also explained that twenty-five years ago, 25,000 students sat for the PSAC exams, competing for 600 places in National Colleges. Today, only 12,000 take these exams for 2,400 places in these institutions.
Points Raised
- Vidoushee Nuckchadee from D.A.V. College in Port-Louis asks about provisions for "late bloomers" and whether they will have a chance to attend a national college.
- Romain Alexandre Rose from Collège du Saint-Esprit inquires whether the government plans to assist students who do not live near their college with travel. He also questions whether changes to the NCE or PSAC exams might create additional stress for parents and students.
- Noah Poavin from Curepipe College expresses satisfaction that the authorities are engaging with the youth. "What is proposed will help young people who struggle to find a school and provide them with new opportunities to advance. I favor option 2 because if the NCE exams are removed, teachers will not know the true level of students, given the significant gap between the Grade 10 and 11 curricula."
- Avissen Appavou from Curepipe College believes the grading system should be improved to avoid issues between teachers and students. "I prefer option 1, but authorities should gradually raise the standard."
- Vassan Carooppunnen from SSS Vivekananda in Souillac argues that just as there is a Federation for fishermen, parents should also have a federation in education to collectively advocate for children's interests in various environments. A federation would bring together all associations on an equal footing.
- Saffiyah Edoo from Dr. Regis Chaperon SSS shares her perspective. "The ministry's proposal regarding grading is encouraging for parents. With my three children, I have witnessed successive systems, and there has been a decline in standards. The new system will enhance standards, as we see that at some point, children falter, as evidenced by the recent School Certificate results. It's important to instill the value of hard work, and this can't be learned at 16 years old."