One crucial question remains to be answered. What is the difference between the quality of education in a national or a regional school? As the minister was explaining the new admission criteria, the only difference he stated between national and regional colleges is ?geographical?. But this is unfortunately not the only point that should be clarified before implementing the new system.

Asked what difference he would make between the two systems, the minister of Education replied that pupils were previously bound to go to their regional college whereas now there will also be the opportunity to attend a national school outside their residential zone. He gave absolutely no precision on the pedagogy used in such colleges and in which way it would differ from regional colleges. He in fact points out. ?Training and skills of teachers will be exactly the same in both types of colleges.?

There seems to be a paradox in the minister?s formula. Was he in too much of a hurry ? the government rushed to announce the new system but has obviously not fine-tuned the matter ? or is it a simple lack of vision on his part? In any case, lots of questions remain vague and will definitely have be clarified to ensure that the future of children is not at risk? Each parent has the right to want the best for his/her child and to wonder if this solution is the best one in this context.

The paradox is that the government wants to give the chance to the elite to progress rapidly; and guarantee the most successful pupils the means to fully develop their skills. With this in mind, it has decided to create nine national colleges which are supposed to take in the 1,260 pupils with the best results the CPE exams. With the new grading system, children chosen will probably be the ones obtaining four A + that correspond to an average mark between 90% and 100%.

But such a system will also incite the majority of pupils to aim at the best results ? it should be noted that the main duty of the government is to work for the good of the whole population. In a sense, if government achieves its goal (that of inciting all pupils to get the best results) it may be in a delicate situation. There would be no room in national schools to accommodate more than 1,260 pupils. What happens to the 1261st?

?Such a system will probably incite the majority of pupils to aim at the best results. But if the government achieves its goal, it may be in a delicate situation as there will be no room for all.?

The Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES) asserts that its tests have proved that there should not be so many children in that situation. But, if there were, how would the MES choose between pupils obtaining exactly the same results?

Dharam Gokhool says that it is a situation of supply and demand? How can the minister of Education treat the future of the children of this country in such a casual manner? He gives the impression that he is talking about some commodity on the market.

Moreover, the minister places the onus on parents to choose whether they want their children to be in the competition or prefer to ask for a regional college? Parents do have an important role to play in the education of their wards but is it not justified for them to aim at a national college ? considered as the best and for the elite ? for their child?

Dharam Gokhool insists there will be no ranking in the new system and that the rat race will only depend on parents. Even though the term ?ranking? is not used and marks not revealed (only the grade will be given), the fact that only the 1260 first pupils will have a seat in specific colleges smacks of competition. Former adviser at the ministry of Education from 1998 to 2005 Surendra Bissoondoyal speaks of the ?wolf coming back in sheep?s clothing.?

Parents will insist that their children do their best to obtain a seat in one of those colleges and will put pressure on those 11-year olds. Teachers will feel compelled to follow the syllabus only to make sure their pupils can compete for a seat and won?t have time for any other educative matters ? to contribute to their all-round development.

In a nutshell, the same old infernal rhythm will be on again? What sort of world-class quality education are we talking about if it is based on turning children into parrots, teaching them that competition is the game and leaving so many casualties behind? In the fight for equality and democracy, is the concept that ?some are more equal than others? becoming the rule for the Mauritian child?