In 1995, Mr Michael Bootle of the British Council drew the attention of the authorities to the low performance of our learners in English. In 2001, the three embassies - British, American and Australian - raised the alarm about the steady decline of the English language in Mauritius. And a recent report published by British Council on behalf of the ministry of Education, mentions the downward trend of the English language in secondary schools. During all this time since 1995, what has been the trend of English language in our institutions? Simply downward. Each year more that 50% of students sitting for SC fail to score a credit in English language. We are churning out quantity at the expense of quality. In four or five years? time when the British Council publishes another report about English language, the trend will have plummeted still further. English language in Mauritius is on irreversible decline! It will not pick up as long as the school population are slaves to their distractions. Unless there is a U-turn on their part vis-à-vis that subject, which will not be easy, taking into account the many distractions which fight for their attention. The latest craze ? the cell-phone.

In all reports concerning the downward trend of English, practically nothing has been said about the contribution of learners to this decline. The recent British Council report spoke about a stunningly mediocre level in star schools with an exceedingly poor standard in others. It is clear that English language in our schools is in very bad shape.

As usual the report was followed by a diagnosis about the low performance of our learners in English. Those directly concerned have analysed, proposed and suggested. Among other things, English teachers should change their pedagogical approach towards that subject. The present methodology has to be reviewed. Others have spoken about the inadequacy of English in class and insufficient exposure of learners to English. One has even proposed the recruitment of teachers from UK. But one thing is obvious and this underlines a poor analysis and total absence of class realities. No one has spoken about the contribution of learners to the decline of English language.

What is the role of the students? Do they expect everything from the teachers, from a reformed system to better their performance? What can a reformed system or the best teachers can do if learners do not make their contribution. It is like the utter failure of a class if the teacher does not get the cooperation of his learners.

The contribution of students regarding the English language can be summed up in one word ? reading. What will the best school of the world or the best English teacher from overseas do if the student does not read? Reading is an indispensable tool in the learning process. Schooling means reading. We cannot dissociate schooling from reading. The student who hates reading is a misfit in the class and a real liability to a teacher. Today reading has plummeted to the lowest point. Students are besieged with so many distractions that they do not have time to read. And the last word in their distractions ? the cell phone - has put an additional nail in the coffin of reading.

The acute absence of reading has contributed a lot to the decline of English. It is sad to note that all the pedagogues who have commented on the latest report of the British Council have not seen that glaring factor or have deliberately glossed over it to spare the students. The indifference of students to reading is staggering. Reading makes the language. When reading is on the downward trend, it is language which carries the can. Why is the language of Shakespeare on the decline at school? It would be sheer ridicule and ignorance on our part if we distance ourselves from reality. The answer is as simple as two plus two is four. An acute lack of reading on the part of the students has made them slaves to their distractions at the expense of reading.

<B>Written and spoken language </B>

There is a world of difference between written and spoken language. It would be pointless to expose our learners to the English language if they do not supplement that exposure with purposeful and intelligent reading. I subscribe to the views of those who advocate a greater use of English as medium of instruction and a greater exposure of learners to English language. But that is far from enough to help our learners better their performance. They must read if they want to write. They have to be constantly told of the importance of reading. This reality must be driven home to them in class and at home. Parents should see that their children do not become slaves to play-stations, television, cell-phones, etc. at the expense of reading. The learners should be made to understand that reading is a personal undertaking. No one can read for them. Without reading there is no comprehension and expression.

Mere listening will not help the child write correctly. He will merely parrot what he has heard. He will be like the Mauritian who does not know the ABC of English language and goes to settle in England. When he comes back after some years, we are shocked to hear him expressing himself in English with ease and fluency. His fluency in English is the result of direct exposure to the language. But if we ask that same person to express himself in writing, we shall be equally shocked at his inability to do so. There will be mistakes of syntax and orthography. He will just write as he has heard since he has never read what he has heard. So the learner who wants to write is compelled to read. Otherwise his writing will be marred with a lot of misspellings.

<B>No substitute for reading</B>

Unfortunately there is no substitute for reading. Writing means reading. The learner who wants to succeed in his studies must read. There is no alternative for this. What he hears around him or watches on television will not be enough to help him express himself on paper. After all he is assessed on writing. Most of his studies consists of written work. How will he express himself in writing if his spelling is sketchy?

We all know the importance examiners attach to spelling when marking scripts. The orthographic knowledge of learners for any language is a sine qua non if they want to fare well in written work. The more they read, the more they will build up their orthographic knowledge.

So lack of reading is the root cause for the decline of English. When there is no reading on the part of the students, what can the best school, the best English teacher, the British Council, the reformed pedagogical system, workshops, seminars and what not do? All these will be sheer wasted efforts. So long as the students evince a scornful indifference to reading, English will go on declining. Be realistic and don?t try to look for firewood in the sea. So what we can do is minimise the damage by launching an aggressive national campaign with the backing of the media to bring home to students the importance of reading in their studies and to underline the role of the parents behind the reading of their wards. Parents are largely responsible for the actual decline of English language. They have let their children fall prey to all sorts of distractions at the expense of reading. They have failed as educators to help their children cultivate an early taste for reading.

Reading, only intelligent and purposeful reading can cushion English language against a nasty downfall. The rest is just waffle, forget about it. Because without reading, there is no language. Let us face the reality.

<B>Raj PANEKEN</B>