There is a consensus that the school curriculum is outdated. But no government has managed to bring about an in-depth reform so far. It is the turn of this government to envisage major changes in the sector for the benefit of all students. The minister of Education, Dharam Gokhool, has started a reflection process to improve the situation without forgetting his main objective of reaching a ?world-quality education.?

The aim of such an ?event? is to see where the shortcomings and needs lie and fill the gaps where necessary. The minister has made a plea for a complete reshuffle in the way subjects are taught and in the curriculum itself, which deserves the attention of all stakeholders? but this will be achieved only if the latter believe there is real chance for change and not just another debate that will end up as another report in a drawer.

The reflection started with a two-day workshop where a panel of 150 education specialists were invited to express their views. But the work is not supposed to end there. Hiranand Dansinghani, the general reporter of the workshop, had to give a report of the observations, recommendations and conclusions of the workshop to the curriculum director of the ministry, Santosh Mahadeo. As from now, the ministry will work on the recommendations and see how they could be implemented. The curriculum director will also have to write a detailed report to the cabinet ? which should lead to a national curriculum policy.

In fact, this reform is meant to give the means to all future generations to enter the world of work and to enable them to learn to think for themselves. Irlande Alfred, literacy consultant at the Bureau of Catholic Education (BCE), said in an interview to l?express. ?It is about applying what I have learned in everyday life and not about regurgitating what there is in books. It seems we have missed that line in Mauritius. Education is to be able to become an autonomous person who can live in a family, in a community while going to school and accessing the curriculum. School must prepare the child to live in the real world. Schooling is different from education.?

This is exactly the problem with the present curriculum. The authorities have failed to review the way subjects have been taught at school for years. As a result, children learn more or less the same things their parents used to study at school and the method is not so different. Many tend to believe that the main goal of school is to learn statistics and historical facts by heart without trying to understand how this could help them in their daily and future lives.

Mauritius is confined in a traditional way of thinking and it is becoming increasingly difficult to leave this vicious circle. The minister took the example of ?oriental languages that are attached to religious considerations while they should be methods of universal communication.? This is exactly the type of problem the education sector is confronted with everyday.

As the minister of Education pointed out, such an event is a ?first in the country?s history.? It was a good initiative to group the stakeholders of the field within one major event. It has helped to bring about an exchange of ideas and take the best of recommendations made. The only problem might be that ? without reducing their capacities or merits ? most of these people are not directly involved in the day-to-day routine of schools. Of course, they can see the general aspects but teachers (who were only a minority) and students are the ones who are in the best position to give their opinions and help change the curriculum in a meaningful way.

In any case, such a reform cannot occur overnight. Even if some ?quality? initiatives are taken as from January 2006, Santosh Mahadeo reminded that international norms recommend that the realisation of a new curriculum take about two years. He also insisted on very important aspects of the reform. He made it clear that the human factor is the most important key to success. Leaders, teachers and students will be the major players in the reform and it will succeed only if they all play the game.