Pauline Etienne
30 October 2007
column
Port Louis — While the government is trying to make the pre-primary sector more professional, the Charles Telfair Institute has already started injecting new blood into the labour market with "the Certificate III in Children's Services which is meant to have a positive and meaningful impact on children's lives.
The 16 students we have qualified lately have all found jobs very easily because there is obviously an acute shortage of skilled carers in Mauritius," said the head of Humanities, Touria Prayag. Ten more students have already enrolled for next semester.
In Mauritius, the education sector tends to focus on the curriculum and the academic development of children. The course aims at giving students "knowledge and skills to provide care to children, facilitate their leisure and play and enable them to achieve their developmental outcomes". The areas covered include child development, health and safety, hygiene practices, nutrition and caring for babies and children.
Jenni Kenward, lecturer in the Community Services Training Centre in the TAFE (Technical and Further Education) Institute in Australia and co-coordinator in charge of the Children's Services course in Mauritius, said that "pre-primary schooling is not about learning. It is aimed at preparing the child for learning at a later stage".
While many parents - and even pre-primary teachers - boast about their children being able to read and write at the age of three, Jenni Kenward simply finds it "sad". According to her, "Adapting to each individual child's pace and not insisting on developmental elements is the best way for children to learn. They will gain in confidence and will be more enthusiastic about learning as from that moment."
"Instead of creating a back-off from these children, they will learn when they are ready," she added. In fact, every six year-old can't be expected to learn in the same way and at the same pace. "If you go too quickly, the child will get bored at primary level and may even develop attitude problems", said Anne Bouton, teacher at CEP pre-primary school in Quatre-Bornes and lecturer at Charles Telfair.
After studying in Australia, she wanted to share what she had learned. "Anne is really important because she brings the blend of Australian qualifications and Mauritian culture together," explained Jenni. Anne wants to make sure that future teachers will be aware that they are the ones that have "to go to the children's level and not vice versa".
The years in pre-primary school are said to be the most important ones, as they are crucial for the child's future development. "This is why it is so important for people who will be dealing with children know exactly what they are doing and why they are doing it to give these pupils the best possible opportunities for their future," Jenni Kenward pointed out. She admitted she was "a bit shocked and alarmed" to see that most carers here are not given any training before working with children. This is why the decision by the government to make a specific training course compulsory for pre-primary teachers is so important for the sector.
But for the Australian lecturer, "passion is a must". Although some can "fulfil the role", the teacher needs to really love working with children. "You either have it or you don't," Anne Bouton comments. An aptitude for dealing with children, a lot of patience as well as a special sensitivity to children and their families are equally important in this job. "The idea is not to take over parenting but to enhance what parents can give to the children", adds Jenni Kenward.
While many parents boast about their children being able to read and write at the age of three, the Australian expert simply finds it sad. For her, adapting to each individual child's pace is the best way for children to learn.
The hands-on and practical approach of the course - which also includes compulsory work placement either at CEP or Safe and Sound - both in Quatre-Bornes - is aimed at benefiting all those who are working or intend to work within the children's services industry. The course on child abuse appears to have particularly impressed the students. "This course is not only dear to my heart because of the fact that it caters for education in the butt but also because it gives a second chance to more mature age students," said Touria Prayag.
The HSC or even the SC is not necessarily a must to access the course. Many of those who are doing it are already working in nurseries or pre-schools. But this course has definitely helped them to "better understand children's behaviour and reactions and deal with difficult cases".
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