The number of teachers requiring some support on how to explain or deal with some subjects is quite significant. This is what came out in a report published by the Mauritius College of the Air last week. The same applies to students, who expressed the need for various pedagogical tools.

All those results have been established following a survey by the Mauritius College of the Air during the Easter holidays of last year. The survey was aimed at pupils of Standard VI and their teachers. ?The objective of this survey was to know the areas of the curriculum in which teachers who teach Standard VI students encounter difficulties and the areas whereby students lack support. We aimed at Standard VI because we felt this was the crucial year for children?, explains Meena Seetulsingh, director of the MCA. ?I must say we were pleasantly surprised with the response of the schools. Indeed, out of the 277 schools in Mauritius, 187 filled in our questionnaires,? she adds.

According to the report, both teachers and students expressed their need for support, mainly through learning materials and relevant teacher training. Following this, subject specialists have made the appropriate recommendations. Five subjects were examined, namely: Mathematics, English, French, Science and History and Geography.

As far as languages are concerned, teachers feel that a more supportive environment is needed mainly for elements of the curriculum related to the development of reading and writing skills. ?The picture composition? and ?the narrative text? present difficulties for both teachers and pupils. On the other hand, the grammatical elements seem to give less trouble to the teachers. There is not only a need for teaching enhancement but also for proper assessment approach as indicated in teachers? remarks: ?Teachers should be given the necessary training to teach and mark compositions uniformly so as not to penalize pupils.?

In addition, the textbooks do not seem appropriate as highlighted by the teachers: ?the texts are difficult and overloaded? and the teachers asked for teaching supports such as ?posters? or audio-visual materials to help them in their task. In fact, one of the major problems associated with language teaching and learning is that neither English nor French is the first language of pupils.

<B>Proper illustrations needed</B>

As for history and geography, teachers request more information related to the Mauritian context and new concepts such as ?eco-tourism? and ?plantation farming?. For these subjects, pupils need proper illustrations in their textbooks. Teachers would welcome such facilities as maps, globes, time charts, video programs and CD-ROMs on different topics. There is a specific demand for using cartoons to illustrate and teach history topics in a more lively way.

For the teaching of mathematics, teachers listed several items that could help them and their pupils: ?abacus, stopwatch, demonstration compasses, graph board? and other tools such as ?mecano strips and a balance with two pans and sets of weights?. Furthermore, the textbook for Standard VI should be revised according to the teachers who proposed that some topics be removed from the syllabus. They believe that a teacher?s guide with explanatory notes on each topic would help them teach more effectively. The report emphasized the need for proper support materials to help pupils in the mastery of the basic mathematical rules of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Without proper instructional materials, the science teacher?s task is not easy. First of all, the science textbooks for both Standards V and VI ?create confusion? for teachers and pupils. Appropriate logistics should be provided for ?hands-on? experiences. Teachers indicated that videos, CDs, charts, laboratory work and field trips all had relevance for proper understanding of the subject by the child. For this subject, teachers are at a loss regarding the approach to assessment and they requested training.

According to Govin Appavoo, senior coordinator at the MCA, those results show two things. First, it shows that teachers feel they should be empowered more to teach. Secondly, for the students, some teachers find it difficult to apply the traditional concept of ?talk and chalk?. ?Nowadays, we must concede that all students have a different learning style. Therefore, the teachers should find the necessary materials to enhance the same proper learning style. This can be audio-visual materials, multimedia materials or even posters?, says Govin Appavoo.

?It should be borne in mind that the answers that we got are rather collective. In other words, we sent one survey to each school. In each school, the teachers sat together and chose what to answer. When the teachers are addressing themselves, they are not doing so only to the survey carried out by the MCA but also to the system. Consequently, the response should not be only from us but also by the system that must act. When I talk about the system I mean the inter-institutional network within the educational community?, asserts Margaret Li Yin, another senior coordinator.

The subject specialists who analyzed the requests of teachers recommended that teachers be given appropriate support in the form of training/briefing sessions and teaching aids. MCA productions should focus on the teaching of essential learning competencies while authorities could explore such possibilities as providing library and laboratory facilities.

<B>No constraints in taking action</B>

Following the evaluation of the survey, the MCA intends to react. Meena Seetulsingh claims: ?We have already shared the findings with the MIE, the MES and the Ministry so that they go to the NCCRD. So now, with those key stakeholders, we need to look at the remarks that teachers have made and the comments they are making. Afterwards, we will plan how to build responses.? Moreover, the director of the MCA does not anticipate constraints in the MCA taking action. She maintains: ?We do not anticipate constraints in taking action. I personally believe that the response has to come from existing resources. We will just have to work towards achieving the objectives, which will be clearly stated as a result of this survey. We need to look at how to improve the methodology of certain subjects and the quality of materials. We have done good work. But it should not stop here. After words come actions! Some responses will come from us but the solutions will come from the teachers themselves.?