This guide is in two parts. Part I – Grammar - starts with basic explanations of English grammar rules accompanied by corresponding grammar practice and other vocabulary exercises and translations from French into English.

Part II – Reading Comprehension – has two main goals. The first objective is to instil in readers critical reasoning and analysis. It is also an attempt to detach them from the rote learning method we are so accustomed to. The second objective is to help students develop and acquire a rich and wide-ranging vocabulary.

Good reading habits, like many others, should be developed at a young age. A healthy attitude towards reading should start at an early age and should make it easier for students to carry forward their effective reading skills into their senior years with more confidence and ability to face a more challenging and rigorous curriculum. Published by Editions de l’océan Indien, the textbooks for Form I and II will be available for the 2007 school year.

● <B>The textbook may certainly help but would not a total transformation of the whole education system be more appropriate to improve students’ level of English?</B>

True. And I think the new proposal from the Ministry of Education looks very promising. The blueprints look good, and if the plan can be put into practice, it is a good start. But they should be mindful of something important: primary school teachers should upgrade their English, especially pronunciation, for it remains the language of instruction. It could well be the missing link.

● <B>What do you think are the main causes of this deterioration of the English language in Mauritius?</B>

I think it is a question of proximity with French, though it is partly out of necessity. The bulk of our tourists come from France, it is therefore normal to become conversant in their language. There is also the historical aspect. The British administration tolerated the use of French – which would have been unheard of had it been the other way round – rather than promote its own language. We must include another factor – admission to a social class using French as its means of communication. Speaking French means access to a higher social level, so people use it to get there. In the process, French becomes dominant. In addition, when your papers, radio stations, and ads are mostly in French, it is no surprise to see English taking the back seat. Lack of exposure led to English being what it is today. This being said, it does not mean that the deterioration of English by its lack of use led to better French. It simply means the latter is more widely used. Our French is now Mauritian French.

● <B>What could be done to change this situation in the short-term? (including all stakeholders – teachers, pupils and parents) </B>

Give English the prominence it deserves, lest we forget that we need it to communicate and do business with the world. But the best way to effect changes is two-fold: firstly, through the school system, by massive training for teachers to make them proficient in English. Encourage children to read English books, and provide them with English videos, even to take home. In other words, immerse them in the language. Make it fun though, don’t turn them off.

Secondly, the country stands the most to gain if those in contact with the foreign world – call centres, for instance – show they are proficient in English. And, here again, training can give them an extra edge. The government should encourage that. With proper training, everything is possible.