Let each man work out his salvation would have been appropriate for religion but for the educational field, it would prove catastrophic if each man will have to reinvent and redesign himself. It would be a waste in the largest sense of the word- and that is exactly what is happening. In the long run we have to seek ourselves an ideal. Ministers of Education past and present should realise by now that the source of all our problems in our country is education- wrong education. Someone who has not been cared for and loved and given the chance of asserting himself will find it difficult to cope with society. The mind, the body and the spirit are all important in the process. We call it - Knowledge, Know-how, character and wisdom - I remember the teachers in that respect - Soocramanien Umanee who taught us meditation, spirituality, subjects and love for each other and Georgie Espitalier Noel who made us love literature and life- an example of a happy man with a mission.

Unity in diversity in practical terms is inculcated at home, at school, in clubs and society. The gulf between ethnic groups is widening- with haves and have nots. Just look at the state of things around us - listen to the language - read our papers and you will convince yourself of what I am aiming at. Tolerance is not acquired du jour au lendemain. It demands some wisdom, knowledge of one another, appreciation - Literature could have helped in that line, Blake, Wordsworth.. It is not merely delivering pompous speeches on religious occasions and then….?

It is sad for pupils of Form 6 who merely do research work when they are given a G.P topic. They are simply destroying the beauty of the subject. This applies to other subjects as well. Teachers should teach students to think critically. Worse, pity these "poseurs" of laureate makers and mind you decorated by the President - who give tons of notes to pupils to read and learn - as if Literature has no charm to offer- massacring Lear, or Keats , is next to destroy the intrinsic beauty of life. We have primary, secondary and tertiary customers in Education, let us offer the best of services.

I am inviting well-wishers to come forward and voluntarily make suggestions on educational reform. Provided they do not fall on deaf ears!!!!

The government should see to it that sectors providing services like Health, schools, civil service should be really customer-oriented and run in a professional way. We have noticed a lot of politicking in appointments of candidates for eminent posts and these chosen lucky few are making a mess of the position they hold. Navin must be knowing them but will he dare sack them? I said in a recent article that the performance culture should be inculcated first followed by the pay readjustment.

I have noticed also that people who stoop to the beck and call of their boss are usually rewarded unlike the one who retorts and speaks out his mind. Political parties should do away with this cheap mentality. The opposition should recruit candidates with fresh original ideas who can take the country from the manacle not those popottes with stereotyped ideas who have ahead played their part in the past.

We have to save our country and we have to start somewhere - It is too easy to put everything on the back of globalisation and mere abstract terms.