But the government is dead against the idea. ?There is no policy change for the moment. Such a decision can?t be made overnight and has to be studied in a more general educational context. I am not in favour of taking such a decision in isolation,? replies the minister of Education, Dharam Gokhool. Moreover, he recalls that the WB had already made such a recommendation in the past. ?It is now coming back with this proposal and we will study it, but introducing tuition fees for students does not fit in with our policy for the moment,? the minister points out.

The Students? Union of the UoM was indeed given this guarantee at a meeting with officials of the ministry of Education last 8th of February. Yet, the issue had been mentioned by the board of the institution in Réduit a few days earlier.

?Free education can?t be limited to a few students only. There can?t be two categories of students. On the one side, those who pay and on the other, those who don?t. We reject the proposal of the World Bank,? declared Soobeersingh Dhunoo, president of the Students? Union who in no way agrees with the idea of study grants for those having difficulty coping with the fees.

The sole idea of increasing the other university fees such as the enrolment fees or the laboratory fees ? known as ?general fees ? - by 20 % as decided by the university a few weeks ago is the subject of much discussion. ?These general fees have risen regularly over the past four years. Now, we have to say, enough is enough !?, states Soobeersingh Dhunoo. He adds that this 20 % rise has already jeopardised the future of a certain number of students. ?Some students are already considering the possibility of stopping their studies and starting to work because they will not be able to face this increase?. The amount of these general fees will rise from about Rs 6 900 in 2004 to Rs 13 000 or Rs 15 000 for a year if the 20 % increase is introduced. Students are organising a general assembly on the 7th of March to decide on the path to follow and ?if there is a need to go on strike or take to the streets, then we will do so?, states the president of the Students? Union.

<B>General outcry</B>

The management of the university is fully aware that making the 5,700 full-time students pay the tuition fees would allow it to get out of the difficult situation it is now in and even to look at the future with more serenity. But the government made it clear at a very early stage that this possibility could not be considered. In view of the general outcry caused by the 20 % increase in the general fees, there is no doubt that the introduction of tuition fees for the full-time students would have an even worse effect. Yet, in other state higher education institutions such as the University of Technology of Mauritius (UTM), every student is paying tuition fees. ?At the UoM level, this issue is highly symbolic and has a certain political importance. This issue is an integral part of what is called democratisation of education,? asserts a member of the government.

This might be a reason for the change of tone at Réduit. ?It is not in our policy to make tuition fees payable for all students. We will try as far as possible not to be led by members of the World Bank,? claim officials at the university.

However, for the WB, the logic behind its recommendation is quite simple. By making tuition fees payable by all students at the university ? at present, only those who go beyond a Bachelor?s degree or are part-time students must pay tuition fees ? the state could save quite an important amount in terms of subsidies. For the financial year 2006-2007, the government will have disbursed about Rs 259 million in terms of subsidies to the UoM while the institution has generated some Rs 122 million. Making 5,700 full-time students pay Rs 30 000 in tuition fees would allow the university to rake in a supplementary amount of Rs 171 million.