The government has reiterated its intention ?to match demand and supply on the job market?, by providing training for young people. But there can be a very wide gap between good intentions and real actions. The School IT project for primary schools is a good illustration of this predicament.

One of the aims of the reforms in education is to ?make the computer an indispensable tool for teaching and to have every school fully networked allowing teachers and pupils to access the Internet, courses and other media sources.? If this aim is attained, it can transform the way education is delivered and open the way to new pedagogy.

?Young children are more at ease about entering the new age of learning and communication than adults. The curriculum will therefore focus not only on an understanding of IT, but also on its use across the curriculum.? This extract from Curriculum renewal in the primary sector became reality in April 2002, when 300 trainees, including myself, were offered employment as ICT primary school teachers on a 4-year contract basis. After following a one-year Certificate of Proficiency course in ICT, we were posted in schools in January 2003 for practice and appointed as ICT teachers in April.

One year later, we are still struggling to successfully introduce ICT as a subject. Our only resources are a brief ICT syllabus, a few computers in some schools or none in others and our precious knowledge. We are trying to change the Mauritian education system, society and economy with this basic gear. The expected resources to attain our goal are a well-equipped computer laboratory, a teachers? guide and student manuals. It would be regrettable to have set a goal without giving the basic tools required. Critically, the situation in schools presently is not promoting ICT as a subject let alone as a pedagogical tool across the curriculum.

ICT is a new subject in primary schools. To transform it into a tool across the curriculum, it is important to create a proper understanding of ICT. Initially, the emphasis will be on computer literacy. At the beginning of 2003, we were pleased to notice the pupils? eagerness for the subject. In almost every school, parents were keen on their kids being initiated to ICT but some parents are not well informed about this new subject. The General Purpose and Oriental language teachers also welcomed us. They were considering a change in teaching methods and less exposure to chalk and talk. But huge was their disappointment when they realized the teaching conditions of ICT.

<B>Benefits of ICT </B>

Through the learning of ICT, pupils are exposed to new jargon, which is, in reality, words used everyday in the outside world. Therefore, it is essential that the young generation be acquainted with these technical words. Pupils of Standards I to VI are already exposed to words like computer, email, Internet, cyber city, etc. But do we have the means to go further?

The following extract from the ICT primary school syllabus leads to the conclusion that the long-term objective is to make ICT a ?pedagogical tool?. ?From 2003 to 2005, ICT will be taught as a subject in primary schools by ICT teachers who have been recruited on a 4-year contract. Consequently, ICT will be used as a pedagogical tool across the curriculum as from 2006 when all the General Purpose and Asian Language/Arabic teachers would have been trained in the use of ICT to support the teaching and learning process.? But how far are the General Purpose and Oriental Language teachers willing, prepared and ready to use ICT as a tool across the curriculum? How far are the students exposed to computer applications and facilities? If the introduction of ICT is really to be a success, opportunities to promote it are needed.

The challenge has been met elsewhere. ICT can transform the way that education is delivered and open the way to a new technology. It can make it easier for teachers to plan and to find high quality materials, and it can help pupils to find high quality materials, and it can help pupils to find out more about subjects they are studying. Critically, new technology can enable teachers to tailor their teaching more closely to the abilities of individual pupils.? (British Educational Communications and Technology Agency)

ICT, as a tool, can bring along many benefits. Teachers should be given the necessary motivation, training and tools to help them integrate ICT in their daily work and achieve the following in classroom practice: Effective teachers set high expectations and communicate them directly to the pupils. They challenge and motivate pupils to expand their understanding and knowledge. Productivity tools such as word processors, graphics packages, spreadsheets and databases allow pupils to work more efficiently. These tools can also support the development of higher order thinking skills. Using multimedia helps pupils create ?professional? looking work, test out ideas and present them to different audiences, which increases motivation. As a result, pupils show more commitment to tasks and invest more time developing their understanding of the material being produced.

Interactive learning

Effective teaching involves all pupils. The use of multimedia allows pupils with different learning styles to have access to the lesson content. Pupils can revisit a topic through another me-dium. Display technologies support whole-class interactive teaching and specialist equipment such as speech recognition and touch screen technologies provide pupils with learning difficulties greater access to the lesson.

ICT supports effective group work because computer software can help teachers to provide structure, direction and support to pupils. The management of group work therefore becomes easier. Pupils working in small groups using the computer work collaboratively for longer periods. With the computer as a focus they discuss ideas, listen to others and build on each other?s experience and knowledge. Often the process of explaining to others what they think helps pupils to understand and learn more effectively. Numerous case studies show how on-line exchanges between peers have triggered learning.

The attempt to make ICT part of daily life can only be successful through everyone?s support. With a better understanding of the impact of ICT on society, our children will be part of this changing world and integrate the technological world. Everybody should help to make the implementation of ICT as a subject and as a tool in schools a success.

<B>Ziyad PEERBAYE

ICT primary school teacher</B>