All the stakeholders in education agree on the fact that students have deserted science subjects for Languages, Economics, Accounting and Mathematics. According to a report of the Mauritius Research Council (MRC), sciences are considered as too difficult or offering fewer prospects for a career. Mentalities should be changed and science subjects have be made more accessible to everyone.

“Pupils do not see any perspective with sciences at the moment but this may soon change. With the development that Mauritius is experiencing, the country will need more and more technicians and students will soon realise the need for science,” observes Patrick Paya, a Physics teacher at College Saint Esprit.

The MRC, as adviser to the ministry of Education, has submitted its report to Minister Steven Obeegadoo. The latter has asserted that he will set up a pilot project based on some recommendations of the report. “The recommendations are all exciting but the ministry will have to study what it would involve in terms of human resources, cost and training. This will take time.”

The report gives an account of the difficulties in schools regarding science. Primary schools are said to suffer from a lack of equipment and laboratories, overcrowded classes, absence of trained teachers and too little time allocated to the teaching of science.

The report also explains how, in secondary schools, science is considered as “inaccessible” to many pupils. The rector of a private college in Plaine-Wilhems is concerned by the issue and will discuss it with her science teachers at the end of term exams.

She is however sure that “a student must have a gift for science. Everybody cannot manage such subjects. I am not sure whether the recommendation made by the report to have “compulsory science” up to form V is a good thing,” she wonders. She does not think that, with the number of subjects proposed today – sociology, business studies, … – a college should compel students to do science if they do not feel like.

To counter the lack of motivation, the MRC has proposed to set up a 20’ X 8’ container to be used as a semi- mobile science laboratory prototype for primary schools. They even offered to put a “sample” in their garden in Rose-Hill. But the ministry has already made it clear that it would not be possible, making it clear that it cannot implement all the proposals of the MRC

What is more necessary at the moment is “more practical classes, introduction of group work and continuous assessment after each term”. According to the MRC, there is a need to make students enjoy the study of science. Teachers and school management will have to find ways of motivating the pupils. This may be why the MRC proposes the “setting up of a Mauritius Association of Science and Technology Educators (MASTE) to provide a platform for science educators to share and exchange ideas, as well as for international networking.”

<B>Missing practical activities</B>

Moreover, Patrick Paya believes that teachers could do something in each of their classes to make pupils take a liking to science. “Some years ago, there were practical classes as from Form IV but this has been abolished. Now, students do not really see how they could put science into practice before Form VI. There are not enough practical activities.”

Arjoon Suddhoo, executive director of the MRC, agrees that there is a wrong perception from many pupils. “Many think that science is not as important as mathematics, French or English but they are wrong. Today’s world is governed by technology, which is an application of science.”

In order to make pupils realise how fundamental and passionate science can be, Patrick Paya proposes that activities such as exhibitions and competitions be organised – as it was the case a few years ago – as from primary level. Such projects in class and outside should give pupils more liking for scientific subjects.