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A friendly but constructive meeting
The atmosphere was quite different at the British Council on that Friday morning. In the middle of several students eagerly waiting for the knowledge and learning centre to open, four familiar adult faces stood out. ?I believe such events can only happen in Mauritius. I have never had the chance to meet three of my counterparts in any British Council in the world?, comments one of them. Because, on that special morning, the current British Council director and his three predecessors were in the country at the same time.
Michael Bootle, Shoba Ponnappa, Rosalind Burford and Simon Ingram-Hill, are obviously pleased to be there. ?I think we have to remember and be grateful for being able to meet old friends like this,? says Rosalind Burford with a broad smile. The small group is indeed more like a group of friends chatting and sharing a few genuine British jokes than four colleagues at a meeting. Each one shares his/her own experience while making it clear that each has done his/her bit and will let the next one work at his/her own pace.
Michael Bootle is the veteran. Having been at the head of the British Council for seven years from1990, he has never really left the country since then. Hence, he has been able to witness the evolution of the use and level of English language for more than 15 years.
No decrease in English standards </B>
Contrarily to what many may have expected, the former British Council director does not believe there has been ?basically any decrease in the level of English. The standard has not really changed but I believe we are more aware of what the problems are today,? he explains. People in Mauritius should definitely try to improve their level of English but Michael Bootle believes that ?the problem should not be exaggerated too much?.
The fact that we speak different languages in Mauritius is an ?enormous advantage?, which should be reinforced. The fact that people can speak the language of many visitors is positive for the country but the problem is that we are not very fluent in all of them. However, as Shoba Ponnappa rightly points out, ?the position of English with Mauritius aiming at becoming a cyber island is really important?. So, we should continue speaking different languages but ?the two processes have to go side by side?.
English can definitely not be put at the same level as other languages because it has a different standing on a global scale. With a touch of humour, Simon Ingram-Hill adds, ?With English being the official language in Mauritius, Mauritians have no choice but to continue with it?. If English is not spoken properly, there will undeniably be ?economic damage?, Rosalind Burford points out.
In such a context, they all agree that the British Council has an important role to play to help people speak English but it is not the only institution that should do the job. The media should provide people with a better exposure to the language. With this in mind, the authorities should as well show a stronger will. ?All these efforts will have to be aimed at making young people realise that learning English can be fun. It is not all about the academic side,? they all agree.
Modern technologies can be a way of showing young students that they can have fun while learning the language. The recently opened knowledge and learning centre has been set up ? by Rosalind Burford and launched by Simon Ingram-Hill ? in that perspective. Although the former library has always been ?hugely popular?, the KLC offers more possibilities to young readers.
IT infrastructure is quite good in Mauritius and that should be used to make people keep in touch with English-speaking people. ?Even though the phrase is often used with a negative connotation, there is undeniably a power in globalisation,? highlights Simon Ingram-Hill. All this is in perfect harmony with the desire of the British council to reach out to more people. The idea of a mobile library bus is starting to germinate in the director?s head?
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