<B>For the progress of the Creole language</B>

Since she came to Mauritius 10 years ago, Tracy has been teaching English at Lycée Pierre Poivre in Moka. She would like to use her vision of education and her interest in language acquisition to bring further contribution to our educational system...

Apart from swimming, singing, and reading, Tracy Ribet has always been fascinated by language acquisition. This is the field in which she specialized by getting a masters degree at the University of Western Sydney in 1996 after a Teacher’s diploma at the Sydney Institute of Education and a bachelor of Education at Sydney University in 1993. However, during all her courses, Tracy was also involved in teaching. “I find language incredibly interesting and I am fascinated by the way we acquire languages. For example, how a baby learns how to speak, how a child learns how to read or simply how we, adults, learn how to speak different languages.”

Head of the English department at Lycée Pierre Poivre, Tracy enjoys her job and her working environment. During her time spent in Mauritius, there is something that has marked her: the Creole language.

“I think the Creole language needs to be enhanced. I think it needs its place to be set clearly in schools. I think we cannot ignore a child’s mother tongue! It is important that people know how valuable Creole is.”

Before coming to live in Mauritius in 1996, Tracy had already been here. In fact the first time she came, she met Paul, her husband. They got married in 1989 and they moved together to live in Durban, before going back to Australia where they spent 6 years. From this marriage, two children were born: Luke,12 years old, and Amy, nearly 10 years old. And a third one is coming very soon, a baby girl.

Tracy was born in 1966 in Cape Town where she spent only 6 years before moving with her brother and her three sisters to Australia because her parents were unhappy about the political situation in South Africa at that time.

Today, she does not know much about her future but she is certain that she will not be going to South Africa again. And, regarding her professional career, she is very happy to be working in what she calls a “wonderful” environment. Nevertheless, she would not refuse to go to work in an English-speaking school, which she thinks would be more challenging.

“For the time being I am really enjoying my time. I am not thinking about moving abroad. Actually, I am happy and satisfied as long as my husband and my children are by my side…”