When the Prime minister visited one of the private fee-paying schools of Mauritius a couple of months ago, he was so impressed by the total environment prevailing in that institution that he called for a closer private-public cooperation towards achieving the overall long-term objective of a “world class quality education” for the benefit of tomorrow’s Mauritius. Maybe he sincerely wanted such an environment to exist in all our secondary schools. He is right. The road towards achieving this objective is a very long one indeed but the first steps in that long journey are really worth taking provided we are moving in the right direction and with a specific mindset.

During my mandate as director of the Mauritius Institute of Education followed by my position as senior technical adviser at the Ministry of Education and an incursion at the Private Secondary Schools Authority as officer-in-charge, I have had the privilege of facing the reality of educational provision and practice . I have witnessed the great disparity among private secondary schools, among State secondary schools and between State and private secondary schools. The unnecessary A+ rat race with a dangling carrot will, by my judgment, further widen the disparity gap.

Achieving the overall objective of providing a world class quality education could be achieved to a large extent with sustained partnership between the public and the private sector with one objective in mind i.e. providing an education for the overall development of students and according to the needs and aspirations of a nation that should be prepared to face the challenges of the 21st century.

Let me guide you to an institution, a private fee-paying secondary school that can serve as a model for the provision of such a partnership. In this article, I will highlight only the positive aspects as I want to think positively and leave the other aspects in the background.

Real positive difference

Welcome to Le Bocage International School (LBIS). A secondary institution with a difference, a real positive difference on all counts. A campus enjoying a rare and healthy micro-climate with a soothing mountain environment.

I had the opportunity of spending a few enriching weeks at LBIS as part-time Geography and Environmental Systems teacher. The physical, social, teaching-learning environment and the constant multilevel interactions prevailing at the school remind me of some of the exclusive private secondary schools I have visited overseas. I am here reminded of Marlborough School in South West England, New Horizon Educational College of Bangalore and St John High School of Chandigarh, India.

LBIS is truly international. In each class, there are at least six to seven nationalities with Mauritians comprising more than 50 % of the class population. This cultural mix helps create an atmosphere conducive to multi cultural understanding and open-mindedness. The International night organized a few weeks ago at the school campus was an opportunity to explore further other cultures and have a close look at their own. so essential for the setting up of an ethnical framework of mutual respect and tolerance. Preparing students to become responsible citizens and responsible adults of tomorrow and living harmoniously together as one people and one nation should be considered as one of the key missions of a school in the process of nation building.

A well-balanced education responsive to the needs of the students and of the country and the development of a community of learning are not empty slogans at LBIS. They are visible. This is reflected in the school curricula at different levels and clearly observed in the best-practised programmes leading to the I.G.C.S.E and ultimately to the International Baccalaureate (I.B) examinations. These examinations are duly accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) and the Council for International Schools.

With these two accredited international certificates, LBIS has positioned itself as an institution of the future whereas our secondary schools system is still closely hooked to the traditional Cambridge School Certificate and Higher School Certificate examinations leaving us trailing behind most of the forward looking African nations. The International Baccalaureate opens the gate to international universities of great renown. Statistics clearly show that LBIS students have been admitted for tertiary education in some 75 different universities around the globe spanning from North America to Europe, Africa, Australia and of course to Réduit (Mauritius).

Constant interaction

A current practice at LBIS and which all our educational authorities should reflect upon is the presence of the whole class of both the I.G.C.S.E and the I.B students for the whole of the third term until a specific date fixed by the school. This is a must. During that time, there is constant interaction between teachers and students both in and outside the class. This is in contrast with the sparse, if not empty, classes of Form V and Upper V1 students in most of our secondary schools, private or State-owned.

A nation’s economic success in the 21st century will be linked to how well it can adapt and thrive in a global ICT environment and this places tremendous responsibilities on schools to prepare their students to meet global technological challenges. At LBIS, a glimpse at the computer laboratories with a low student-computer ratio, the multimedia library where students are encouraged to engage in self-learning activities, the integration of technology into teaching and learning activities, the groupware for collaborative work (a 1:15 class size) and submission of assignments electronically, free access to e-mail for students and staff and other ICT facilities provide an added dimension to the school. This is the e-learning mode all secondary schools must adopt to provide a world-class quality education

LBIS is co-educational and so is St. Andrews College, of which I am a product. This mix has more positive sociological, psychological and educational outcomes than otherwise. The idea of having separate Form V1 Colleges as was previously planned is not one that many would welcome.

LBIS is involved with the education of the whole child. A holistic approach as prescribed by all modern educational planners is essential for achieving the overall objective of a world-class quality education. Let me hasten to remind our readers that 24 students of LBIS out of a total of 34 for the whole island received the gold award in the context of the Duke of Edinburgh National Achievement Award. Prince Edward made the journey to LBIS on Thursday 12 October to personally meet the awardees, students and staff and express his appreciation for the good work done by the school.

The road map for the development of a world-class quality education for Mauritius is interwoven and blended with some basic principles, which I call the true north principles, best practices, lots of commitment and, above all, investments as true reform is resource hungry. Without these principles, one is bound to lose all bearings and navigate through chaos. Some of the principles and best practices are to be found in a few of our private fee-paying secondary schools. LBIS is one of them.

<B>Prem SADDUL</B>