The Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) has finally decided to take legal action against the Gokhool educational reform. Through two parents concerned, it has lodged complaints to make the government back-pedal on what it considers an “unfair reform” or “counter-reform”. Both parents state in their plea that the “introduction of A+ in the grading system is not reasonable”.

The first one is signed by Sooriadev Bhayraw, the father of T. Takur will take part in the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) exams in October and his father believes that he has not been given enough time to prepare for the changes in such an important exam. School had resumed for several weeks when the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES) regulations were changed to add the A+ to the grading system. As a result, he asserts his child will be the victim of much pressure and may suffer from disastrous consequences. As the detailed results will not be made public, Takur’s father is also anxious that this lack of transparency may lead to abuse.

One day later, Karoonananda Thandrayen, the father of Stylen in Form II and Misha in Standard VI, lodged his complaint. In his statement, he expresses his disagreement with the A+ grading and the creation of national colleges. His two children in two different classes will both “suffer” from this reform. Misha, who will sit for her CPE exams in October, has not had enough time to prepare for the new formula announced only nine months before the exams. Likewise, he is concerned with the potential lack of transparency.

<B>Legal staff mobilized</B>

As for Stylen, he considers that the latter has fewer chances of obtaining a seat at Royal College of Curepipe (RCC), which has now become a national college for Forms I to VI. His son passed his CPE exams under the previous system; hence, he went to a Form I to V school hoping to obtain a seat in RCC for his last two years at school. As there will be fewer seats in Form VI, Stylen’s chances of joining the college have been jeopardised.

Sutthydeo Tengur, president of the Government Hindu Teachers Union (GHTU), has already announced his intention of defending the Gokhool reform as a third party. Meanwhile, the whole MMM legal staff has been mobilised to stop the process and prevent ranking from getting back into the system… at least for this year.