?Mindset? is the new South-African educational programme that the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has launched on the ?Knowledge Channel? - Digital 10.

Broadcast between 10.30 am and 3.50 pm, Mindset targets the student population of pre-primary, primary and secondary schools. The programmes are in line with the Mauritian educational curriculum. They provide for both formal and non-formal education. Indeed, programmes on mathematics, sciences, literature, IT, communication, advertising and ?teacher guides? are already available on the channel.

Negotiations between the MBC, the Mauritius College of the Air (MCA) and the ministry of Education are going on to allow students to follow these programmes at school. The ministry of Education has been approached to provide the necessary infrastructure and facilities as well as providing schools with the necessary equipment for the success of this project.

Further development in this project will allow all students to have access to Mindset programmes on their computers at school. Mauritius Telecom has also been approached as a major stakeholder in this project to put the whole Knowledge Channel on computers through MY.T. This will allow students to have access to Mindset at any time and anywhere through their computers.

The programmes broadcast in the morning will be repeated in the evening but approximately two weeks later. It should be emphasised that the Knowledge Channel is still at the ?pilot study? stage. ?This has been a soft-launch of the ?Knowledge Channel?. We have clear ideas about where we want to go but it will take some time. We want to give things, which are more relevant to the country. We also hope to complement ?Mindset? with programmes produced by the MCA in the long term?, said Mrs. Shakuntala Hawaldar of the MCA.

Programmes such as Mindset will give new dimensions to learning and teaching styles, which will not be restricted to campus-based education only. They will benefit students, education officers and the whole community as well. The use of multimedia teaching strategies will help solve the problem of shortage of specialised teachers. Using the media will appeal to children?s various learning styles by using stimulations such as sounds, pictures, music and movements. This will certainly improve their performance.

The philosophy behind the Knowledge Channel is ?to be an integrated part of technology- enhanced delivery of education?. The channel also has as objectives to reinforce literacy, numeracy, creativity and life-skills in young people. Through such programmes, the MBC hopes to nurture in the viewer the mind-set, attitudes and values that will lead to the advancement of society and avoid the perpetuation of blocked societal models.

Bilkiss JAFFARALLI</B>