<B>ARIANNE NAVARRE MARIE, OPPOSITION MP</B>

?It is not easy for me to choose one particular teacher, especially when I find that I had several great teachers who were all equally good. Indeed, the first teacher who had an impact on me was Colette Lebon. She was my teacher when I was at Tombeau Bay Government School, which has been renamed Serge Coutet GS. I believe that the reason why Colette Lebon impressed me so much was because, as a little girl at that time, I could perceive her maternal instinct. Later on, I had a teacher named Anerod Backory. Despite the fact that he was strict and very severe, what I admired was his pedagogical approach. One anecdote I will never forget is when once an inspector came into the class, and Anerod Backory was teaching the meaning of the word ?happen?. We were so intimidated by the presence of the inspector that we did not answer a question that the teacher asked us. When the inspector left, straight away we gave the right answer. He was so furious that we had a hard time afterwards. (Laughter) But, despite being strict and severe, he had a great sense of humour. I think this was because in those days there was not so much pressure for exams, so the teachers would find time to tell us funny stories as well as talk about real things of daily life.

For my secondary education, I went to the Bhujoharry College. In Form V, I had a marvellous teacher called Miss Peerun. She was my French literature teacher. She would rarely smile. However, she was incredible as, when she taught us a text, she would make us live the story. She would make us participate in it, as if we were witnessing the scene she was describing, or even as if we were the characters.

The other teacher who impressed me was Miss Teeroovangadum, who is now Mrs Desha. As far as I know, she is now the rector of a secondary school. She was my economics teacher. She was strict but she was incredibly good. She made me love the subject so much that I decided to take it at tertiary level. Moreover, when my daughter had to do her HSC, I entrusted her to this teacher and she showed herself very caring towards her.

Coming back to me, to be honest, I was a quiet girl who was thirsty for knowledge and I consider myself very lucky to have had such teachers who I believe suited my personality. In fact, I am very thankful to all the teachers I have had as they have all contributed to improving my knowledge. Today I am so inspired by them that I am a teacher myself and it very often happens that they come to my mind.?