In a multilingual land, Kreol is the only language understood by all. Yet it has no standing in schools, in government proceedings, in culture or the media. The apparent reason for the wasteful neglect of this essential resource for nation-building is nothing more than snobbery and neo-colonial prejudice. Kreol is a patois, a ?pidgin? language based on French and looked down upon as rustic and uncouth by those who know French. But Mauritians, who have no ?Mauritian? French, are fluent in Kreol. Mauritius has been Kreol-speaking for 200 years! Moreover, Kreol has evolved into more than a French patois: it is a language, now becoming written and spoken by a family of nations here and in the Caribbean.

Ledikasyon Pou Travayer, Lalit, Dany Adoni, Arnaud Carpooran, Father Jauffret, Sister Cyril Mooney, Jean-Claude de l?Estrac and l?express, and other concerned voices think that teaching in English is a great drawback for many disadvantaged pupils in early grades.

Would it be true to say that Catholic schools are in favour of admitting Kreol in the curriculum and ready to use it in Std I? Would it likewise be true that only the correct orthography stands in the way? If so, you can lead us out of this indecision by publishing that Kreol New Testament.

If an international ?academy? of arbiters of Kreol and a panel of learned scripture scholars, to assemble, work and publish the book, will take time, one could opt for a partial publication ? say St. John?s Gospel ? at an early date.

To make something useful, perhaps catalytic, happen meanwhile, Kreol could be ?introduced? in music departments of Catholic schools. If a Kreol Song Book could be put together and distributed to the schools, Kreol ?choirs? could soon sing to the public. For Kreol songs, along with Bhojpuri songs, are the most vibrant element of Mauritian culture and a lively songbook might set Kreol culture nicely in motion in schools. The new songbook should seek out historic (Ti Frer and older) material but contemporary songs should be featured extensively. A place of honour might be granted to songs of Kaya and today?s music with star groups like Cassiya, Gangsta Beach, Otentik Street Brothers and others. Bhojpuri Boys and other Bhojpuri artists should be widely included.

<B>Values sought by non-catholics</B>

This selective version of a vernacular Mauritian song book could be followed by a comprehensive edition, something like Mauritian and Mascarene Songs in Kreol and Bhojpuri, 1715-2005. If it appears in several volumes, one at least should be a sturdily-bound ?hymnal? book for use by choirs.

You were right, I think, to raise your voice to government recently, for they do indeed not listen well. It has been a fairly treacherous partner, pretending to support your legal appeal in London when they well knew that reserved places in school were illegal. But, no matter, if indeed state subvention, can be left behind. For that is the issue, as both the Supreme Court and the ?law lords? saw it: in accepting State grant-in-aid, catholic schools agree to provide education for all, without discrimination.

However, such service is not the primary mission of Catholic education. The State is trying to persuade you to stay in the ?partnership?, to use your resources to serve ?the underprivileged?. One is tempted to do something good for ?the poor?. But one cannot lose sight of the purpose of Catholic education and the reason the Church wanted to keep its schools 50 % Catholic. The traditional purpose is educate young Catholics in their faith.

I attended Catholic schools from first grade through first year of university. This good instruction and example formed me and confirmed me in my faith. This has been a great blessing in my life.

It is tradition to welcome non-Catholic students into this Catholic environment. In many countries the non-Catholic elite send their children to Catholic schools. Young people, both Catholic and non-Catholic, need good instruction and example beyond the curriculum of public schools. Honesty, respect, consideration for others and responsibility are all better taught in anybody?s confessional school than in a secular school. These are the values sought by non-Catholics who pay to send their children to Catholic schools. For without God ? or the gods! ? there is no sanction.

<B>Mediation of an endowment</B>

In most countries Catholic education is ?fee-paying?. The elite and the non-Catholics pay the full rate and the Church calls on other resources to discount or waive school fees for poor Catholics. It is this mix that has made school uniforms useful as a democratic mask to avoid distinction between rich and poor.

In secular democracies the Church has looked for legal subsidies and devices like vouchers sometimes work. But the law sees the acceptance of State subvention as establishing that a school is public. The Church has no business running public schools. At first, catholic schools were ?fee-paying? in Mauritius. It is now a matter of going back to where we were when we made the wrong turn.

The Church counts most of the poorest people in the country, the African Creoles. But it also includes the richest class, Creoles of French origin and Mauritians of Chinese origin. This should make ?fee-paying? Catholic education possible through the mediation of an endowment. At the beginning of any change to a paying system, large sums of money would be needed but your flock can bear this necessary expense and you must ask.

For the catholic congregation the social plight of African Creoles is a matter of conscience and an opportunity for caring fellowship. The big must be asked to help the little and, maybe for the first time, in a big way. There is a growing movement seeking redress for descendants of former slaves. Your appeal would launch a work-education for all Catholics, with full subsidy for the poorest ? that makes effective atonement for the sins of the Church in times of slavery.

The crowning glory of this new endowment would be the foundation of a catholic university. The need is great and benefits to the country would be untold. The start-up expense might not need to be prohibitive. Existing buildings ? the most architecturally distinguished colleges ? could be dispossessed for the purpose and the faculty could be a religious order, Jesuits or Marists or Benedictines, who would, if they accepted such an invitation, bring in many resources of their own.

I hope you can give serious consideration to these ideas.

Karl Morris Nickel