S. K. Mahadeo
5 August 2008
Port Louis — Traditional belief has it that confessional schools generally outperform state schools. I sincerely wonder whether in matters of discipline, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment there are major differences. And yet much praise has been lavished on the two ZEP schools under BEC authority. The ZEP school in Rodrigues lost 4.2% - a credible 62.7% at CPE in 2006.
By contrast, Jean Eon also lost 8.1% to 48.5% performance in 2006, but the public has been impressed by the outstanding performance of a girl who bagged a seat at QEC from among pupils of mediocre ability.
Causes for alarm
The distinctive characteristic of poor academic performance in a great number of schools is that there is not more than 20% of passes. Certain schools drop even below this line. Another noteworthy element is the irregularity of performance from one year to another. For example, Le Morne GS shot down to 8% from 42% within one year. Generally a performance that is shy of 40% gives the school, possibly the ZEP stigma but it benefits from positive discriminative advantages that are of great significance.
Profile of Jean Eon RCA
The profile of Jean Eon RCA at Grand-Gaube presents an interesting study. It benefits from the services of a parent mediator, four liaison officers, the support of the private sector - Legends Hotel, Paul and Virginie Hotel, Pepinière Exotica and the parish of St- Michel Church under the able leadership of Father Philippe Goupille.
Every fortnight guided visits have been organised to the two abovementioned hotels. Pupils of Standards V and VI have had the opportunity to interact with the hotel staff and they have been received at breakfast and lunch. Teachers have ensured follow-up of these events through oral and written work. Readers will remember how the public reacted in a hostile way to a question in a CPE English Paper: 'A day in a hotel'.
Skewed assessment
The MES was accused of practising class-prejudices because the poor do not have the opportunity to be exposed to the sophistication of a wealthy life in hotels. The issue was deeper. Does the education provided at school act as a leveller? Does it bring into the classroom experience that the child will not integrate? How does education confront class issues? Should there be an education for the poor, a curriculum for the poor? If no, how does education serve as a vehicle to the conflicting values of rich and poor?
How are the poor inducted into the mentality of the rich? How are the rich exposed to the mentality of the poor without disparaging them? In any case culture forms an integral part of the force of education of the poor. Education without culture is soulless. In fact the presence of the private sector causes a process of proselytism (secular) in the poor. This can be done not by abstract ideas about wealth, but by being physically exposed to it. where the private sector has poured money soullessly, the environment of the poor has not improved.
Related activities
Jean Eon RCA has clubs - environment club for pupils of Standards I and II, drama club for pupils of Standard VI, a sports club, a homework club run by parents, a bookworm club for Standards III and IV pupils. A computer has been placed in Standard I classrooms and technology is used across Standards I and II.
Mystery of improvement
These facts reveal a wide range of possibilities for pedagogical and academic improvement at different levels. A major reason for the poor performance of a few children is that they are placed in the position of independent learners to reenact lessons learnt in class under the teacher's supervision. The child must be made to work on his own. He must learn to make mistakes and to learn from them.
The homework club is not the factory of made products, done solutions and correct answers. It should be a place where independence, communication and learning take place by revisiting teacher directed experiences. The use of technology as a tool assisting the curriculum makes pedagogy richer by diversifying it. The excellence of innovative pedagogy lies not in repetition, but in diversification. The learner's experience must be enriched by variety and diversity. That is why technology is still the tool, not the totality of education.
Inservice training
Another crucial feature of ZEP education in Jean Eon RCA is the number of in-service training courses organised by the BEC for head teachers, deputy head teachers and teachers. In fact, it is not the number of training courses that counts, but what the incumbent make of the courses. Is there any impact assessment of training? How far does management improve? How far does teaching improve under the impulse of new awareness? My fear is that the time has not come in the civil service to evaluate all improvement programmes.
A Quality Assurance unit may take care of it. When I read about teachers who do not want to be disturbed during school holidays and have the temerity to vaunt this as their forte, as a professional, I feel ashamed of the degradation of the profession. Even the PRB cannot change mentalities. The principle is: take the fruit and throw the stone.
What makes a few BEC schools better?
Why are a few state schools equally successful? The answer lies in the dedication of teachers, leader, parents and the community. The school that succeeds in bringing about the integration of these forces towards common goals has all the chances of improving academic performance. Too many ZEP schools take their increased pay, additional training and preserve an uncommitted attitude to work. The character of the civil service is not necessarily the attitude placarded by a few union members.
No one seems to know what is happening
No one seems to know why a school performed better in one year and found its performance plummet the following year. Why can't we have an ascending line of growth year in and year out. In fact we seem to be groping our way through accidental victories and repeated failures like blind men on a zig zaging path, where meanders are more numerous than straight paths.
The generally average performance of Jean Eon did not prevent one girl from emerging. This is due to personal investment, parental motivation and an enabling school environment. But the school itself has the converse ability to outperform itself by overcoming the weaknesses of its students, teachers and the weakness of home input.
We must beware of drawing hasty conclusions. In fact, those schools that are making continuous progress are those that know the secret. We must share this success and celebrate our victories by analysing them.
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