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Mauritius: "We will work to make you succeed!"
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L'Express (Port Louis)
4 December 2007
Posted to the web 4 December 2007
Vanessen Tirvassen
Port Louis
"When my parents left Dagotière and settled in R.Hill, I got to attend the primary section of New Eton College. In my fourth year I fell ill with tetanus after an accident and shuttled between home and Victoria Hospital for months. When I finally recovered, my parents sent me to St Enfant Jesus RCA in Rose-Hill and I joined Standard 5.
I loved my school. Over there, the dynamic headmaster, Brother Aldric who was strict, severe but humane, particularly impressed me. I passed standard 5 with some excellent results. However, good times do not last. When I say this, I am referring to my standard 6 teacher who had a marked preference for some and totally neglected the rest of the class, including me. Indeed, I felt abandoned and that caused some sort of traumatism into me. I was terribly hurt by his attitude and the glaring injustice made me into a rebel and maybe forged my character, turning me into a militant many years later.
Most of us who were so blatantly ignored and who were not in a position to take private tuition failed the CPE exams. At this point in time, my path as a schoolboy could have ended abruptly as some relatives persuaded my father to employ me on a full-time basis as an apprentice in his tailoring workshop. Had it not been for my mother and parental grand- mother who almost pleaded with my father, he would not have allowed me a second chance.
Thereafter, I returned to school with a heavy heart and walked into a class of repeaters. Dominique François stepped into the class and greeted us with a large smile and with the following words: 'It seems that many people have no trust in you I have. You are a bunch of capable people and we are going to work hard to make you succeed!' In mere words, we could interpret this as if he was telling us: 'I am here for you!"
Dominique François was a big guy with a moustache who looked scary at first sight. In parallel to this, he had a towering personality but he was soft hearted. His inspiring words made us feel ready for the challenge. He was a very competent and efficient person. The end of the year results were outstanding all repeaters got through with excellent results. I sat an admission exam for form 1 at New Eton College and not only passed but came out first and obtained a year's scholarship. This was thanks to Dominique François who had changed my life. Afterwards I never failed any exam that I had to sit right up to my degree which I did on my own as an external student with distance learning tuition from Wolsey Hall Oxford. When I recall that time, I realise that the belief and the trust Dominique François showed in us had a tremendous effect.
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The human values Dominique François inculcated in us have served me throughout my whole life and it goes without saying that when it came to choosing a career I opted for teaching which I must say has procured me an immense satisfaction. It was not a one time happiness but a constantly recurring care every time I meet any one of my former students."
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