The Government Teacher?s Union has taken good note of the article entitled ?Too good to be true? published in your esteemed paper. As ample reference is made to this union, we would be very grateful if you could kindly publish this rejoinder in connection with our stand on the new formula proposed by the government. GTU would like to reiterate the view that the new formula proposed is less favourable to the interests of 70 percent of children studying Asian languages in our country than the initial proposal made by the government at the beginning of the year. It was the minister of Education & Scientific research himself who said that children studying additional subjects had to be rewarded accordingly. The minister insisted on this point and even went to the extent of saying that Government did not envisage changing its stand on the matter.

With its new formula, Government is now proposing that children studying five or six subjects will have an equal maximum of 20 points for grading purposes, which is totally unjust according to us. Our stand may appear futile to Pauline Etienne but she must admit the fact that almost all pedagogues from the University of Mauritius and the Mauritius Institute of Education who have aired their views on the matter have taken the same view as us. Obviously the new formula is pedagogically unsound and we are pleased to note that Mr Dev Virahsawmy has also expressed serious concern about it in an interview published in a weekly.

It is obviously incorrect to say that there is unanimity on the same issue as all unions in the primary sector with the exception of one have condemned it. The majority of readers in Mauritius who have expressed their views in writing in the papers have also been disappointed by it. GTU has always fought for the promotion of Asian languages as the union representing the biggest number of Asian language teachers. In fact, it is our formula that was retained by the Select Committee presided by Mr M. Dulloo in the early nineties. During the recent consultations on the recognition of Asian languages we deplored the fact that Government had not deemed it necessary to consult us.

By taking into account only 4 subjects the new formula according to us even goes against the principle of broad-based education which aims at developing the full potential of the child. Unfortunately the new formula will have the tendency to cause children to focus on a restricted number of subjects and this is very deplorable. The general purpose teacheers who are these days being made to teach as many as nine subjects are wondering what is the need for them to teach so many subjects when only 4 subjects will be considered for grading purposes. The new formula will promote the tendency in children to concentrate on fewer subjects and this will be to the disadvantage of Asian languages.

According to us, there is today a majority of people in the country who disapprove of the new formula and believe that the initial one was better. We also believe that it is not a coincidence that the minister of Education and Scientific Research has so far not appeared on TV to defend it. Our stand may appear ?annoying? to Pauline Etienne but it is absolutely untrue to say that we do not have concrete arguments to support our views on the matter.

<B>Jugdish LOLLBEEHARRY

GTU President</B>