I still remember how Kabir, a Form I classmate who, having done brilliantly at the Primary School Leaving Certificate (now Certificate of Primary Education ? CPE), suddenly started hating Maths after a disappointing remark from the class teacher in the subject. To a question Kabir asked out of curiosity, the teacher burst out in a raucous voice: ?Shut up!?. Sensitive as the boy was to these vulgar words, he felt humiliated and so hurt that he could never again develop any liking for Maths despite whatever was said to persuade him. Friends, parents and relatives tried to convince him that Maths is one of the core subjects at School Certificate (SC) but in vain. What was shocking was that he failed in Maths although he passed with distinction in all other subjects.

Later on when he was applying for jobs , his failure in Maths prevented him from being called even for an interview for any post in the Public Service. Somehow he managed to join teaching in a private secondary school because of his good grades in languages and social sciences. He could thus earn a living and support his parents and family afterwards; otherwise, he could turn into a wreck in those days.

Here is another sad story from a student of the University of Mauritius, BA (Hons) English III appearing in l?express dimanche of 19 August 2007 under the title ?Shut up and listen!? It is written that the University of Mauritius ?is probably one of the rare universities where most students either shut up or hesitate before voicing out an opinion? I don?t want to get into trouble.?

One thing is clear: the student at any level of education is not a clean slate/sheet of paper for the teacher in class to fill. An intelligent and willing student is always eager to ask questions .Such students should be given ample opportunity to do so. Teachers as resource persons should be happy to answer questions/queries of their students. They should even motivate students to come up with pertinent questions after the class/lecture is over ? question time .This will go a long way in helping both students and teachers to clear out any doubt before stepping out of the classroom; they should part without any confusion or fear. Questions and answers simply enlighten the mind and will pave the way to the world-class education that our government is aspiring to.

The two stories above only reveal that curiosity present in the student instead of being attended to has been killed, thereby causing untold damage. It would be here refreshing to look back on what John Locke ( 1632 ?1704 ), English philosopher and educationist writes. He states that curiosity in children is but an appetite for knowledge. one great reason why children abandon themselves wholly to silly pursuits and trifle away their time insipidly is, because they find their curiosity balked and their inquiries neglected .

<B>Kaviraj SOHUR</B>