MRU Student Power Protests protest about the mismanagement of the education sector by the Minister. According to them, the ministry should have reconsidered the criteria of the 5 credits. The Students Power MRU, a group recently created, is denouncing the malfunctions in the education sector and the increase in examination fees by 198.45% which concerns more than 4000 students. They demand immediate intervention of the Government as well as the resignation of the Minister, Leela Devi Dookun Luchoomun
The exigence of 5 credits contested
They demonstrated their feelings this Monday morning at 10 am at the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development (MITD) in Phoenix where the offices of the Minister of Education are. The Student Power MRU is made of SC ‘repeaters’ and their parents and they are supported by Nishal Jayram, Ivan Bibi and Bruneau Laurette of the Inion Sitoyen Morisien. The 5-credit requirement for Grade 12 (Lower Six) was the subject of protest. Those, with less than 5 credits, have to repeat and their exam fees are in the range of Rs 20,000 to Rs 32,000 whilst for those retaking the HSC exams, the fees can reach between Rs 40,000 to Rs 52,000 depending on the number of subjects chosen. The State does not provide any financial assistance to the repeaters. In short, these students are calling for the resignation of the minister, “We need to bring this fight to the national level. It has not always been like this. In fact, not long ago, the required criteria were of 4 credits, so why not restore it when the pandemic is responsible for the adverse circumstances? It is a lack of consideration.”
Various other contestations
The current school calendar was also at the heart of the dysfunctions as the trimester has been shortened from 12 to 8 weeks with the interruption of the attendance and continuity of the syllabus. The topic of ‘special consideration’ in cases of natural disasters and Cambridge’s algorithm to judge a student’s results based on his or her performance in other subjects as well as the reputation of the school has also been discussed. Students in private schools are automatically discriminated against. The cases of forced absences were also mentioned. As for the additional two weeks, they explained that it would not help much.
“Many of us could not take attend all the exams. Despite this injustice, we are willing to have a special exam and ask that the correction be done by Cambridge to promote the deserving” said Yash Bissessur, one of the victims of the situation and initiator of the Students Power MRU.
Ivan Bibi made a contrast between the police officers who got promoted without exams due to Covid-19 and asked that “these students, with three or four credits, be granted this exception allowing them to be promoted“.
The mandatory vaccine for all students has also been part of the discussion.
Legal resignation of the entire MSM
Ivan Bibi is even calling for the resignation of the government. “We are going to hold another demonstration this Tuesday 21st September in front of the Parliament to denounce the mismanagement of this pandemic at the level of all ministries and for the country in general. We ask that a Motion of No Confidence be put against the PM and his party. We are following the Westminster system and this is a well-established Westminster System that has proven itself in the past to eject the ruling party on the third motion“, concludes Ivan Bibi. He will be in the company of social worker, Raouf Khodabaccus and other activists in the demand of this motion. The issue of education will also be on the agenda.
