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Mauritius: A Great Day with Lots of Question Marks for Pre-Primary Students
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L'Express (Port Louis)
12 March 2008
Posted to the web 12 March 2008
Bilkiss Jaffaralli
Port Louis
Pre-primary schools also celebrated National Independence Day yesterday. But it was without the prime minister's message. The guest of honour, Mariam Goodur, tried instead to explain the meaning of patriotism in simple words.
The kids of Izzat-Ul-Muslemine pre-primary school in Plaine-Verte had put on their best clothes and were eager to wave their national flags to celebrate the National Day.
10 am. Our little stars start arriving. Eager and overexcited, never have they been so enthusiastic to come to school as they are today. The reason is there! There's an event today. National Independence Celebration! New clothes, special hairstyles, henna on the little hands of the small girls, they are all awaiting for the big event to start.
An Islamic prayer said by the students, opens the National Independence Day celebrations at Izzat Ul Muslemine pre-primary school. A cultural programme has been set up for the event. Yet, the idea of patriotism is not forgotten. "We are here to evoke patriotism within these children. They are the future of our nation. It's they who will be the leaders of tomorrow and therefore we have to teach them human values, to live peacefully with other communities, to behave well in society and to distinguish between good and bad", says Mariam Goodur, president of the Muslim Women's Council.
Often, the Prime minister's official message is read as it is to the children. There's not even anyone translating or even decoding it for them. Would our little masters who have not even mastered their mother tongue understand the message, which is in English? Food for thought! This year, as in all the past years, the message was certainly received by the pre-primary students but not the meaning of it! It is a bit unfair to our little masters as the message is not translated and brought down to their level of understanding, in a language, which they understand.
Contrary to what people were expecting, at "Izzat-Ul Musle-mine" pre-primary school, the Prime minister's official message was not read to the children. Not because it's an Islamic school but simply because the message was not received. From a patriotic point of view, this is quite sad, as the patriotic values must be inculcated to our children since a very young age. The eve of Independence Day is the grand event to celebrate our country and evoke the patriotic values within our children. But they simply missed the message! And it was neither their fault nor that of the school this time!
Independence Day from our little master eyes
It's a bit difficult as task, to handle such overwhelmed and hyperactive children on this event. Teachers running here and there after the children; it's a bit difficult to handle them today. They have to yell again and again to put them in the right place and the right order.
Eagerness seems to be the main emotion of the day. Eager to sing the songs, eager to raise the flag, eager to leave the podium, eager to play with their friends, eager to eat the cakes, eager to have the gifts and eager to go home too! These are the preoccupations of the little masters today. While the adults are busy talking, the little ones are amusing themselves with their flags and the 'Hip Hip Hurrah'!
For our pre-primary students, Independence Day means much and at the same time, not much yet. "L'Indépendance Hmmm Se enn fet sinois mo kroir ! (Independence Hmmm It's a Chinese festival, I think!)", says Irfan, who is a four-year old pre-primary pupil.
For Fatimah, Samiah, Raadiya and Rabia, it means a little more. Why not? They have been practising, learning a poem by heart and rehearsing for They don't know how many times! They have not learnt these numbers yet but it's sure that they have been practising for quite a long time and today they are ready and eager to make the show.
"Our teachers made us learn the poem. We'll raise the flag today. We'll say Hip Hip Hurrah! Then, we'll get cakes, soft drinks and many gifts! There is a big party at the Champ-de-Mars today. They say it everyday on TV", say Fatimah, Samiah, Raadiya and Rabia.
For the boys, it does not mean much either. "Independence don't know. We don't celebrate it at home. Don't know who are those who celebrate it! We have put new clothes. Our mother made us learn the national anthem. We'll sing it in the mike today! We'll raise our flags too! We are celebrating because 'Miss' has said so", say Irfan, Yusuf, Hussain, Zaheer and Zakariah.
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Once they got their gifts, both children and parents rush to go home. Some speeches are still going on but the little masters are more interested to see their gifts and to go home. Independence Day was certainly a great event today though they were not so sure of what the event was about, why we are celebrating it and what is its importance. But they will certainly always remember the event. This is certainly going to be the first step in the way of patriotism and of great leaders of tomorrow!
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