Madam
I most humbly come to you through this open letter with a plea, and not for a debate, far from that.
I have listened with much attention to your last press conference because I was expecting your response to the apprehensions on the Extended Programme (EP). Some press articles and the PNQ of the leader of opposition targeted the EP. And the report I submitted to the Ministry in 2019 and all my press articles were based on the EP. Anyway… 
However, you did try to justify the implementation of the EP within the Nine-Year Continuous Basic Education (NYCBE) educational reforms. And by so doing, you maintain the NCE exams for the EP students. Some 3000 students may experience the same failure by the end of the year.
- “Nou finn reisi rekiper 71 zanfan ki finn rant dan le mainstream…” You consider this as a success, and forget completely the 3220 students who came out of the system, without any achievement. What about the cry from different quarters, … and now from the streets?
- EP has made possible for access to nine-year continuous education. Well, with the Prevocational Stream (PV), all pupils leaving the primary school had access to secondary schools. Those who passed the CPE were admitted in the mainstream and those who could not make it, were admitted in the PV stream, leaving no pupil outside the school system. Better! All the PV students were admitted in an MITD training centre for their fourth and final year.
- You highlighted the big investment in terms of different resources in the implementation of the EP, to boost up the self-esteem of the EP students and to increase their motivation for school. Then, how do you explain for so many dropouts?
– 105 in 2019, 229 in 2020, 199 in 2021 and 802 did not sit for the NCE in 2022.
Next, does it raise their self-esteem when, in class they are served with a menu they cannot digest? Does it boost up their morale when placed in front of a question paper they cannot even read?
- Alerting the general public of the many apprehensions regarding the EP and showing great concern about such a high rate (96% for the EP students) of failure, according to you, are equivalent to blaming the Teachers and Facilitators and not recognising their efforts and contributions. But what has the ministry done to motivate and upgrade those PV Educators? After nearly six years now, they are still recognised as Educator (Prevocational). And what about the Facilitator? Is it a post within the secondary school? Is there clear and definite scheme of duties with explicit responsibilities for the Facilitator? Is there an allowance paid to them as the case is for the Head of Department? Yet, you do recognise their contribution in the implementation of the EP, but nothing is done to motivate them.
- 487 students who failed the NCE were admitted in an MITD training centre. This represents 14.8% of the 3291 students in the Extended Stream in 2018. With the Prevocational, All students were transferred to an MITD centre for their final year where they were exposed to different trades in well-equipped workshops.
- You mentioned the award of an Attainment Certificate to all EP students who failed the NCE. I have gone through all documents on the NYCBE and the NCE. Nowhere it is written that an Attainment Certificate will be awarded to all those who failed the NCE. It appears to be a recent decision of the ministry (implementing the EP by trial and error). Now, the Attainment Certificate will be based on what? On the NCE exams?
- In your justification for the success of the EP, you deliberately avoided these pedagogical queries because for sure, all the answers are in the negative.
- Does the EP curriculum lead to the NCE?
- Do the prescribed textbooks for the EP cover the whole syllabus for NCE?
- Are the EP students fully prepared to sit for the NCE? Are they assessed on what had been taught in class?
- Is the NCE an appropriate mode of summative evaluation for the EP students?
- Are the teachers fully trained and adequately equipped with pedagogical skills to work with the EP students who have been identified having great learning difficulties and acute behaviour problems?
This open letter, as well as my report of 2019 and different press articles in Le Mauricien aim at advising the ministry. They are eye-openers (but for those who really want to see). My main objective is to come up with suggestions and not to confront or challenge the authorities. In my report I concluded with ten recommendations based on my expertise. But unfortunately, those recommendations were ignored because they came from a common man. Despite, I will continue offering my free advice, for the benefits of those helpless students.
So, I suggest that,
(i) EP students are made to sit for a completely different examination, conducted by the MES and based on the textbooks prescribed for the EP. That examination should be modular with continuous assessments in both written and oral/practical modes. An Attainment Certificate is then awarded, taking into account the competencies acquired in the different subjects.
(ii) Henceforth, all students admitted in the Grade 7 (Extended Stream) get embarked on an intensive course consisting of the essential learning competencies in Numeracy (Maths), Literacy (English and French) and Basic Scientific Knowledge (Science, History and Geography). At the end of the year, they are made to sit for the PSAC examinations. Those who succeed are admitted, in the following year, in Grade 7 Mainstream. And, those who cannot make it, they move to Grade 8 (Extended Stream).
This will save at least some 10% of the EP students. Some 300 students (compared to 71) can join the mainstream as from Grade 7, with a much greater chance to succeed in their secondary education. With the present system, only 4% students have moved to the mainstream and placed in Grade 10 where they are at great risk of failure.
I thank you for the time given to this open letter. How much attention will be given is yet another question; but I feel I have accomplished my duty by sharing my experience.
May 2023
Rajendra Sewpersadsing
May 2023