Guidance takes a back seat
By Sobhanund Seeparsad
Published on 16th November, 2007
Is there a full-fledged, professional careers education and guidance programme at all levels of the Mauritian education system to support the much-talked about world class education? The answer, stakeholders say, is NO. The authorities have so far failed to give it a serious thought.
“There’s no careers education and guidance in our schools. First, I must point out, there is no such thing at the primary level. At the secondary and tertiary levels, what is offered as CEG in some institutions is restricted to dishing out addresses of universities, information about approximate costs, and briefly about courses. Nothing more,” says A.L, a science teacher in a college in the north. The post graduation certificate he did in Careers Guidance from the University of Napier over ten years ago along with some 160 graduate teachers has been of no use.
“My competency has never been properly used. CEG is neither understood by my rector nor by the people at the Ministry. Nobody seems to realise that CEG is not only about giving addresses of universities; it’s much more than that. It’s a full-time job. But who will convince the authorities about its importance in raising pupil achievement and school improvement?” he adds.
Most of the teachers who have had training in CEG from Napier regret their two years of training “It has gone waste,” most of them told this paper. The subject, they say, is not on the time-table; most of the time, it’s treated during extra-curricular activities periods, and that too, restricted to answering questions about universities, studies and costs from one or two students, and nothing more.
And yet, for years, countries that have laid emphasis on world class quality education have also geared their interest and attention to good quality CEG. Nobody understands why in Mauritius the programme has yet to make a serious start.
“A good CEG programme helps to raise the aspirations of the young, particularly those with limited horizons. It increases motivation by linking activities in school with preparation for life afterwards. It can even help ensure equality of opportunity for all,” says a retired CEG trained teacher.
In fact, every school, whether primary or secondary, should have a CEG programme, and every teacher should be a part of it, not only the CEG specialist. For this reason, all teachers must be exposed to what CEG is all about. Without them and without specialist CEG providers, the world class education one talks about these days will be meaningless, knowledgeable and authoritative stakeholders say.
“My competency has never been properly used. CEG is neither understood by my rector nor by the people at the Ministry. Nobody seems to realise that CEG is not only about giving addresses of universities; it’s much more than that. It’s a full-time job. But who will convince the authorities about its importance in raising pupil achievement and school improvement?” he adds.
Most of the teachers who have had training in CEG from Napier regret their two years of training “It has gone waste,” most of them told this paper. The subject, they say, is not on the time-table; most of the time, it’s treated during extra-curricular activities periods, and that too, restricted to answering questions about universities, studies and costs from one or two students, and nothing more.And yet, for years, countries that have laid emphasis on world class quality education have also geared their interest and attention to good quality CEG. Nobody understands why in Mauritius the programme has yet to make a serious start.
“A good CEG programme helps to raise the aspirations of the young, particularly those with limited horizons. It increases motivation by linking activities in school with preparation for life afterwards. It can even help ensure equality of opportunity for all,” says a retired CEG trained teacher.
In fact, every school, whether primary or secondary, should have a CEG programme, and every teacher should be a part of it, not only the CEG specialist. For this reason, all teachers must be exposed to what CEG is all about. Without them and without specialist CEG providers, the world class education one talks about these days will be meaningless, knowledgeable and authoritative stakeholders say.