Six years after its creation, the Zone d?éducation prioritaire (ZEP) system will be revamped. The arrival yesterday of the new coordinator, Menon Munien (until recently rector of St-Mary?s College), should breathe new life in this system and is generally welcomed by schools concerned. ?We?re progressing, but there?s still room for improvement. The arrival of a new person at the head of the project is a good thing. It?ll allow us to make a new start?, says Swaley Rojee, president of the Deputy Head Teachers? Union (DHTU).

If the ZEP project is well on track, some express concerns about the achievement rate in those schools. The primary objective when creating those zones in 2002 was to regroup all schools with a lower than 40% pass rate at the CPE (Certificate of Primary Education) ? exams under one umbrella and promote a kind of positive discrimination by giving them special attention. Creating favourable learning conditions for children living mostly in underprivileged regions was a major concern. This approach aimed at reducing school inequalities and, in a broader perspective, combating social inequalities by providing equal opportunities to all primary school children.

But, six years later, only half of the 30 schools concerned have increased their success rate. ?It?s not only the kind of pedagogy used in a school that serves as a recipe for success. There are a lot of considerations that should be borne in mind. Absenteeism is a major concern?, further states Swaley Rojee. ?The ZEP project has been consolidated to have more bearing on the pupil?s learning in a child-centred climate?, declared the Education minister, Dharam Gokhool, last Wednesday at a launching ceremony in a ZEP school.

Critics accept the fact that there are a number of achievements. Based on a concept that defines the school within its environment and aims at mobilizing all the resources within the zone to improve the learning environment, the project has been able to raise awareness and concern.

Since 2007, the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has been closely involved in socio-pedagogical projects to improve the service delivery of ZEP schools.

Not later then last week, a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between MCCI and the ministry of Education. Another MoU has also been signed recently with the United Nations Development Programme/Food & Agricultural Organisation for technical support regarding the food program in all primary schools. Further, NGOs and religious bodies have been closely involved in some ZEP schools? daily lives. On the pedagogical front, the ?ZEP approach allows for flexibility and greater autonomy for completing the cycles of learning as the curriculum is not time-bound?.

But it seems that all this is not enough. The cluster-based organisation structure that should have brought about networking of ZEP personnel and benchmarking practices is not working as it should have. One of the key ingredients to success seems also to rest on the shoulders of heads of school. Some of them think it?s a too heavy burden for them. ?We suffer a lot of pressure and it shouldn?t have been this way. The authorities should find a way to alleviate this?, comments a head teacher.