14 August 2007
opinion
Port Louis — Officers occupying the new grade of mentor are said to be very unhappy since their posting in schools at the beginning of this year. It appears that the ministry has adopted a policy of "putting square pegs in round holes". Almost all officers occupying the new posts are unanimous in declaring that, had they known that the ministry would assign them the role they are being made to assume these days, they would never have applied for the posts. In fact, if teachers in general were informed about the responsibilities that those occupying the grade are being assigned now, perhaps only a limited number would have submitted their applications instead of some two thousand who showed interest in the new post when it was advertised.
Many among those who were appointed as teachers in charge of upper primary classes are now compelled to take Standard I classes. The irony about the post is that, in the afternoon, two officers of the same grade have to be in another class where there is already another teacher who finds himself/herself in a really embarrassing situation. Most of these teachers are ill at ease with two officers in addition to themselves present in the afternoon every day of every week. Very often even the mentors themselves feel that their presence is problematic for the class teacher.
When the post of mentor was created it was said that the post would serve a pedagogical purpose but now it must be said that there are some 50 officers in schools who are in charge of Standard I and doing more or less the same thing as MIE students freshly posted to schools. And among the mentors there are officers reckoning more than 30 years' service. Pedagogically speaking, it is widely said that it is the young teachers who have to take the lower classes and it appears that the authorities are not heeding this fundamental principle with mentors aged 50 years or more as well as supply teachers above the age of sixty.
It is rare to see officers who have been promoted reverting to their former grade and this has happened for the mentor grade. As a matter of fact, this testifies to the awkwardness and discomfiture felt by mentors and at the same time the gaffe committed by the authorities which have created the grade but are not able to manage or use it conveniently. It should be mentioned that quite a number of those who were promoted have already chosen to revert to the post of teacher and some are still proposing to do so even now after their confirmation in the grade.
The other issue, which is not clear, is whether a priority list has been established for the grade; obviously this should not be the case as for the next promotional post the officers will have to undergo a competition exercise. Consequently, for any decisions to be taken for this grade of officers, the ministry needs to justify its decisions and it stands to reason that any decision concerning the grade should as a matter of principle be communicated to all officers of the grade.
A lot of issues regarding mentoring in primary schools need to be re-addressed, otherwise it is certain that this category of workers will continue to feel uncomfortable and ill at ease. What is very clear is that the ministry itself is not quite sure about what it really wants this grade of employees to do in schools. Is it not high time for the role and responsibilities for this grade to be redefined?
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I find underutilising a nation's capable resources is a terrible wastage.in many schools today where children are coming from deprived households these mentors could have done a lot to improve things.some of these mentors who have been nominated young and have a long way to go find that making themselves accepted to teachers often their seniors a real plight. i would just suggest that a survey is done and then teachers or mentors are deployed. a young mentor will feel more his skills more appreciated and welcome with probationers or junior teachers