The debate over oriental languages seems to have got out of hand. The issue has reached a standstill as small groups have wandered from the real objective and taken the floor to convey their frustrations. The minister of Education, Steven Obeegadoo, came on television for a ?public? debate on oriental languages to reassure parents, but this has not prevented regrettable incidents.

Steven Obeegadoo just repeated what he had already been saying during various press conferences. He kept his stand that oriental languages are no disadvantage to any child, but enrich all those who study them. He also maintained that their computation for the Certificate of Primary Education exams is not illegal or unfair. What the debate really showed is the extent to which many parents are still badly-informed on the matter.

This ignorance makes things easier for troublemakers. It became the ?perfect opportunity? for certain groups to claim that they are ?disadvantaged? in comparison with others or ?threatened?. It is the same old story that reappears each time there is social tension. The discussions were a real ragbag where personal attacks were frequent.

<B>Context of unease</B>

Thus, a debate between the president of the Government Hindi Teachers Union, Suttyhudeo Tengur, and the chairman of the Federation of Parent-Teacher Associations of Roman Catholic Aided Primary Schools, Clifford Maniacara, turned sour. They used insulting words, which could have caused ethnic ill-feeling to flare up in the present context of unease.

Clifford Maniacara went even further as he declared that Catholic children may lose their identity if they study another religion, (which he mistakes for language). Mauritius is a multicultural island and it is quite obvious that we can only gain by learning from each other?s cultures. That has nothing to do with adopting another religion. And, more importantly, children will be assessed on nothing more than language competence.

Just like many other socio-cultural associations, the Bureau of Catholic education (BEC) condemned Clifford Maniacara?s words. But the BEC also asked for an alternative to oriental languages for the 47 % children not taking them for the CPE. Though the director of BEC admits computation of oriental languages is legitimate for children who study them, he finds it just as legitimate to demand an option for children who are not interested in studying those languages.

Government looks determined to implement the computation of oriental languages for grading in the CPE. The Prime Minister has entreated the population to ?cool down? regarding the various faux pas that have occurred.