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Love Apples
The government has decided that obtaining good results at examinations conducted by reputable institutions like Cambridge University is not a precondition for applying for admission to a tertiary education institution. It seems that some people consider that, after a candidate has been failed by Cambridge, that candidate can be resurrected by a foundation course run by other institutions without the latter having demonstrated any serious academic track record.
This is certainly not the way to get Mauritius recognized by the international community as a centre for educational excellence. If compromises can be made on the upholding of standards and if decisions can be taken in order to satisfy purely commercial demands or for creating a demand for specially targeted institutions, then the whole world will know that there is systemic deficiency.
The quest for knowledge will increase with the pressure of a digital world. Mauritius is in a position with its English-French language versatility to optimize its potential. The interest being shown by various institutions of international repute to locate their facilities here is welcome but it can all vanish if we get into the habit of lowering standards to suit special interests.
The pursuit of excellence in the area of acadaemia can brook no “ corner- cutting”. Short- termism as a policy is bound to fail as it has in other parts of the world. Despite being a “ plaisir” country, we should appreciate that academic achievement involves everything but a “ plaisir”. The lowering of standards since some time now by enabling, for example, certain categories of persons to be recruited in the public service without the qualifications which were considered basic in the past has brought about important weaknesses in the service. There was justifi cation for insistence upon the basic qualifications inasmuch as no public officer can render a level of service without them. It was bad luck for those who did not obtain those basic qualifications. There were other areas where they could be utilized but not in the public service where the basic requirements served a valuable purpose. It is generally agreed that even at the University of Mauritius, the lowering of entry requirements has entailed a lowering of the quality of the finished product, i.e. the graduates. Of course some people go on to say that these graduates are performing in various sectors. That may be the case but one can also then pop the question as to why so many foreigners are employed in so many sectors in Mauritius and why an expert from overseas has to come in even for simple problems.
This country has talent which goes unused for a variety of reasons. At a time when Mauritius will celebrate the 45th year of its freedom from colonialism, it is time that we upgrade our education system so as to avoid some public officers translating “ pommes d’amour” into “ love apples”. Or someone who is asked to write a letter in English and he is given a letter in French to use as a model starting with “ Cher Monsieur”. That person goes to a French-English dictionary and proudly sends to his superior officer a draft letter starting with the words “ Expensive Sir’.
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