PRIMARY
- CPE EXAMINATIONS
YEAR
2011
CPE
– CURRICULUM (22/03/11)
(No. B/26) Mr S.
Obeegadoo (Third Member for Curepipe & Midlands) asked the Minister
of Education and Human Resources whether, in regard to the Certificate of
Primary Education, he will state if, in view of the failure rate over the years,
Government proposes to review the appropriateness of the examination and related
curriculum to ensure that all children acquire the essential basic knowledge and
competencies.
Dr.
Bunwaree: Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, the question is speaking about CPE failure rate, and I would like first of
all to start by informing the House that, over the past few years, the rate of
failure for the CPE Examination has been gradually on the decline. Prior to
2005, particularly in 2004, the failure rate was 37%. In 2004, the pass rate was
63%, and it gradually increased to reach 68.5% in 2010 and, consequently, the
failure rate was brought down from 37% in 2004 to 31.5%, that is, a reduction of
5.5% within the 5-6 past years. Nonetheless, efforts are being stepped up to
further improve the performance at CPE level.
One of the concerns
of my Ministry is to set the right structure for the CPE Examination, to ensure
that all children acquire the essential Basic Knowledge and Competencies to
enable them pursue secondary education.
The present format of the paper
caters for the acquisition of essential Basic Knowledge and Competencies covered
in Section A of all papers of the CPE syllabus. Since this examination serves
the double purpose of certification and admission to secondary schools, the
paper caters also for average and above average pupils through section B of the
papers, which tests higher order competencies and skills.
The CPE, as we all
know, in its current form, encourages rote learning and teaching to the text
rather than focusing on the development of critical thinking and problem solving
skills.
It is precisely for this reason that my Ministry is, in fact, working
towards a review of the CPE and the improvement of the performance at CPE. In
this context, I have appointed, since January 2011, that is, early this year, a
Committee comprising representatives of my Ministry, Mauritius Examinations
Syndicate and the Mauritius Institute of Education to work on the overall review
of the CPE and related curriculum, so that children who have acquired the basic
knowledge and competencies could attempt Section A of the Question Paper with
success, and thus have the required foundation on which their secondary
schooling could be based.
Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, the problem of failures cannot be addressed by exclusively reviewing the
CPE. In parallel with the above initiative, my Ministry has also embarked on a
number of pedagogical programmes that would help in the early identification of
learning difficulties, and thus provide more appropriate support that would
facilitate the children’s mastery of the required competencies. These measures
are being implemented from an early stage of primary schooling, so as to
overcome the learning deficits that otherwise tend to accumulate. These measures
include, inter alia, diagnostic assessment, continuous assessment and remedial
education, as well as special remedial programmes for CPE repeaters. In
addition, particular attention is being given to the ZEP schools for improvement
of their performance.
Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, I wish to reassure the House and especially the hon. Member, that in the
context of this review exercise that has far-reaching implications, I intend to
engage into wide consultations at national level with all stakeholders who would
be invited to submit their proposals and inputs.
Mr
Obeegadoo: Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, the hon. Minister seems to have missed the point of this question. Being
given that the point of basic primary education today is not just about going on
to secondary education, but about equipping all children with the skills for
employment and for life, being given that whatever the government, the pass rate
stagnates below 70% and one out of four children leaves primary school every
year without the CPE, is his government committed to an overhaul of our
examination system and a redefinition of primary or basic education for every
child of this country?
Dr.
Bunwaree: I agree with the
hon. Member, but where I disagree with him is that, at the CPE, we do not go to
work. The child has got to continue schooling; la scolarisation est obligatoire
jusqu’à seize ans. So, the child will have to go through secondary schooling,
whether it is vocational or normal stream. We are agreeing on that, but I
started my reply by saying that we have to forget what the hon. Member is trying
to instil in the minds of people.
The CPE pass rate is
progressing year after year and, therefore, I would like to lay this graph on
the Table of the Assembly. In fact, the down-going slope is when the hon. Member
was Minister and the up-going slope is on the other side. Regardez ça, c’est
parlant. We are doing well.
The Deputy
Speaker: It is being
circulated.
Dr.
Bunwaree: The dip is in
2004.
Mr
Obeegadoo: Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, let us forget the dip, let us forget party politics.
Being given that at
this rate of progress, it will require 35 years before we reach a 100% success
rate, which is the objective of education, has Government discussed the proposal
of the Opposition to lay party politics aside and to sit down together, to
redefine, to agree and to forge a broad consensus across political dividing
lines on basic education that all children need to obtain and to succeed in
obtaining?
Dr.
Bunwaree: Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, I said that I am opening after our committee has worked on it. This will
take a few weeks. Then, I will open a forum where all stakeholders will be
invited, including the hon. Member. But saying that it will take 20 years, if he
were there it would have taken one century.
Mrs
Labelle: Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, I think I heard the hon. Minister mentioning, among measures to support and
help the child and so on to master the basic education, a special remedial
education. May I ask him if this is currently in place and, if so, when? At what
time and by whom this special remedial education is being provided in our
school?
Dr.
Bunwaree: Yes, this is an
interesting question. In fact, we do not have enough manpower to do what we
would have wished to do, but it is started, especially the special one is for
CPE repeaters; this is what I have said. We have noticed that the CPE repeaters
do not master, for example, the programme of Standard III and, of course, less
for Standard IV. If we start them repeating only Standard VI, they will
definitely go straight to failure. All this is being taken care of and special
remedial education has started this year. I will be very eager to see the
results at the end of the year.
Mr
Bhagwan: The hon. Minister
has just stated that the pass rate is on the progress. My worry is about the
Cité Barkly, Marcel Gabon Government School, where the results have been on the
decrease since 2005. It is going downwards year by year. I have asked questions
and raised the matter with the hon. Minister who has initiated actions. Can the
hon. Minister inform the House where matters stand concerning the follow-up? My
problem is the follow-up at the level of the Ministry. I not only have the
impression, but I am sure there are problems at the level of the Ministry, at
the level of the administrative zone with regard to the follow-up actions
initiated to have further progress and better results in that school, which is
one of the poorest regions of Mauritius, if I may say.
Dr.
Bunwaree: Yes, the hon.
Member has talked to me about that problem on quite a few occasions and he knows
that we are doing our level best. The problem is more about a problem of the
community around the school than in the school itself. So, we are taking care of
all these.
I have a special eye on this school, he knows that. We hope that
things will get better.
Mr
Bhagwan: Can I appeal to the
hon. Minister? When the hon. Minister says the community, it is on both sides. I
know this is the responsibility of parents, but it is also of the attitudes of
teachers, head teacher and officers of the Ministry - Cité Barkly is a region,
bann dimoune mauvais, etc. It is not good to say so. My colleagues and I have
even talked to the parents. Can I appeal to the Minister to have a meeting
chaired by him, not by his officers, with the parties concerned to give clear
directives, that there is monitoring, then, we, in Parliament, will be asking
questions in the months to come?
Dr.
Bunwaree: Yes, Mr Deputy
Speaker, Sir.
Mrs
Labelle: Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, the hon. Minister also mentioned early diagnosis.
I would like to know
from the hon. Minister if, at present, after Standard III, when a child does not
know how to write and read if there is any structure which will take care of
this child, because the hon. Minister said that we do not have enough
structures? I am just asking: do we have any structure which takes care of such
a child? We know that there are many children.
Allow me, Mr Deputy
Speaker, Sir, to also mention two schools in my Constituency: Allée Brillant
Government School and Espitalier Noël Government School. The results have been
going down year after year. There is a big dip in both schools.
Dr.
Bunwaree: As I said, I would
have personally wished to have special teachers for remedial action. In some
cases we do have. We are trying to do this with regard to the schools which the
hon. Member has just mentioned, but we do not have enough structures. There is
the enhancement programme which is one way of getting these children out of this
problem. This year we have started the enhancement programme and on top of Std
IV we are starting at Std III, where we are doing our best to try to get these
children on the right side.
Mrs
Ribot: Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, I would like to know from the hon. Minister if there are specific schools
that have been highlighted for those special remedial education
classes?
Dr.
Bunwaree: Not specific
schools, but we are trying to find specific solutions for specific
schools.
Mr
Obeegadoo: Let me ask the hon.
Minister a straight question in the hope of getting a straight answer. Is it
Government’s intention that the National Form III examination should replace the
CPE - this is the subject matter of the question -as a pass or fail
examination?
Dr.
Bunwaree: We are not talking
about the Form III assessment programme. For the time being it is an assessment,
it is not even an examination. Let’s wait; when we come to the bridge we will
cross it.
CPE –
TEXTBOOKS (17/05/11)
(No. B/356) Mrs L.
Ribot (Third Member for Stanley & Rose Hill) asked the Minister
of Education and Human Resources whether in regard to the Part 2 of the
Certificate of Primary Education books in all subjects, he will state the
reasons of the delay with which they have been made available to the
schools.
Dr.
Bunwaree: Mr Speaker Sir, in
line with the National Curriculum Framework for the Primary Sub Sector, my
Ministry, in collaboration with the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), has
embarked upon the production of new textbooks for Stds I to VI since 2007. This
cycle has been completed this year with the production of new Std VI
textbooks.
Furthermore, in
2009, my Ministry, out of concern for the health and general well-being of
children, decided to split those new textbooks which were bulky into two parts
and thus reduce the weight of the school bags. This measure also allowed
teachers to make their pupils learn at an appropriate and sound pedagogical pace
throughout the year.
The textbooks for
ten out of the sixteen subjects taught at the CPE were accordingly produced in
two parts. With respect to these sixteen subjects, all the Part I textbooks
together with the textbooks in single volumes have been delivered to schools
before the resumption of studies in January 2011.
With regard to the
ten Part II textbooks for the CPE, I am informed that -
(i) Textbooks for
Maths, Science, Arabic, Tamil and Urdu have already been delivered to
schools;
(ii) Textbooks for
English, Hindi, Marathi and Telugu are being received this week and will be
delivered to schools by the end of the week, and
(iii) Textbooks for
French will be received early next week and distributed to schools by the end of
next week.
With this delivery
schedule, Mr Speaker Sir, all the pupils of CPE will have their Part II
textbooks by the end of next week.
I am informed by the
MIE that the organisation of the learning materials into Parts I & II for
the ten subjects has been effected in such a manner as to cater for the health,
well-being and pedagogical considerations. Such a design is meant to discourage
the practice of cramming the entire syllabus within a period of six months, and
the devotion of the third term to an ad nauseam repetition and ultimate
rote memorisation.
In line with this
pedagogical imperative, the first Parts of the textbooks are expected to be
covered by the month of June at the earliest.
Mr Speaker, Sir,
given this perspective and time line I have mentioned, the question of delay
does not arise.
Mrs
Ribot: Mr Speaker, Sir, I
would like to know from the hon. Minister whether there is any change in the CPE
curriculum.
Dr.
Bunwaree: Not to my
knowledge, I have to check if ever there have been minor changes, but not to my
knowledge.
Mrs
Ribot: Mr Speaker, Sir,
whereas it is most welcomed that the books be split into two parts so as not to
be a burden to the students, it is inacceptable that we are in the month of May,
the exams are place part in October, there are schools that have already ended
Book 1 since the end of term one and which have not received the Part II
yet.
Dr.
Bunwaree: I am afraid that
the hon. Member has not understood at all what I have mentioned.
Mr
Speaker: The hon. Minister
has explained in his reply.
Dr.
Bunwaree: I will advise her
to read my reply and then to come back.
Mr
Speaker: Next
question!
CPE
EXAMS 2011 - ARABIC PAPER – STANDARD – REPRESENTATIONS
(13/12/11)
(No. B/981) Mr R.
Uteem (Second Member for Port Louis South & Port Louis
Central) asked the Minister
of Education and Human Resources whether, in regard to the Arabic Paper of the
recent Certificate of Primary Education examinations, he will, for the benefit
of the House, obtain from the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate, information as
to if it has received representations complaining about the standard thereof and
about mistakes therein and, if so, indicate the steps taken in relation
thereto.
Dr.
Bunwaree: Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, yes, I am informed by the MES that it has received representations from a
few organisations and some parents with regard to the Arabic paper of the CPE
Exams 2011 related mainly to the level of the question paper, the reading
passages, vocabulary used and the essay topic.
However, I wish to
point out that, according to the MES, no mistake has been reported in the Arabic
question paper, but there were a few new words utilised. Following receipt of
the complaints, the MES investigated into the matter. Furthermore, a sampling
exercise was carried out prior to the marking exercise, involving some 600
scripts, to look at the performance of candidates. A range of responses to the
different questions were compiled and analysed to identify areas of difficulty,
and the marking scheme was adjusted to take into account any
difficulty
encountered.
However, it has been
found that the new words did not cause any unexpected consequence on the
performance of candidates. MES has also informed that it has taken appropriate
measures, so as not to penalise any candidates and to ensure fairness to all
candidates. It has further reported that the Arabic paper has respected the
norms designed, and the overall standard of the paper is within the level of the
CPE pupils. In fact, 71.08% of the candidates have passed the examination in the
subject this year; a performance which is comparable to that of previous
years.
Mr
Uteem: Mr Deputy Speaker,
Sir, I heard the hon. Minister saying that there was no mistake in the paper.
But, according to my information, and a copy of the letter which I have
received, which was sent to the MES, it is stated clearly that at least one
question - part v of the question - could not be answered since an important
piece of information was missing from the passage unlike a similar question in
the Urdu, Hindi and other CPE Oriental languages where that sentence was there.
For the Arabic paper, there was one sentence missing and, therefore, students
were not able to answer that question.
Dr.
Bunwaree: I am not aware of
the particular point raised by the hon. Member. I would like to have a copy if
this letter. I have been told that all precautions and all steps were taken, so
that no child be penalised.
Mr
Uteem: The Arabic paper
was the one but last paper; there was a paper the next morning, which is the
Mathematics paper. Has the MES looked into whether the distress that students
sitting for the Arabic paper have suffered was carried forward and affected
their performance in the Mathematics paper?
Dr.
Bunwaree: I don’t think this
has been done, but the results are known today and the percentage of passes
reflects the fact that there could not have been any penalisation.
Mr
Fakeemeeah: Can the hon.
Minister state to the House whether the MES has officially come forward with a
standardised form of designing and setting the CPE Arabic paper as well as for
other Oriental languages for this year specifically?
Dr.
Bunwaree: Yes, Mr Deputy
Speaker, Sir, and I think it is a good thing.
Mr
Uteem: On the same issue
of standardisation, being given that the papers are being standardised, could
the hon. Minister confirm whether all textbooks also are being
standardised?
Because I understand
that this is not the case at the moment.
Dr.
Bunwaree: The syllabus is
standardised, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir.
Mr
Fakeemeeah: Although the hon.
Minister has confirmed here, yet, according to my information, there are
potential differences in the setting of the Arabic paper of this year as
compared to other Oriental languages. I would like to ask the hon. Minister
whether il va ouvrir une enquête indépendante et situer les responsabilités et,
par conséquent, prendre des actions, so that next year such crime is not
committed to our students?
Dr.
Bunwaree: I won’t go into
what has been mentioned by the hon. Member as a crime, but I must say that the
Director of the MES did receive, I think, all those people who made complaints,
discussed with them, and there was satisfaction at the end of the meeting. But
still, I will take into consideration the point that has been
raised.
Mr
Fakeemeeah: But, is the hon.
Minister aware that the result, just published this morning, reflects the
prejudices and the trauma caused to the students who took part in the Arabic
language examination of this year?
Dr.
Bunwaree: I said it was the
contrary, but if the hon. Member can substantiate, he can come and see
me.
CPE EXAMINATIONS – GRADE ACCELERATION
(19/04/16)
(No. B/262) Mr
D. Ramful (Third Member for Mahebourg & Plaine Magnien) asked the Minister
of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific
Research whether, in regard to the
Certificate of Primary Education Examinations, she will state if there exists
any policy that would allow the students currently in standard V to take part
therein and, if so, indicate the criteria applicable therefor.
Reply: In the
current educational system, the Certificate of Primary Education
Examinations is
normally taken at the end of six complete years of primary schooling, from
Standard I to VI. This is clearly provided for in Regulation 14(1) of the
Education Regulations which reads as follows -
“Except in the
case of a pupil who repeats any class under regulation
11(1), the full
course of study in a Government or aided primary school shall cover 6 complete
school years, from Std I to VI inclusive, at the end of which the pupil may sit
for the CPE examination.”
Although the
above Regulation makes mention of Government and aided primary
schools, the same
principle is to be adopted normally in private fee-paying primary schools, which
follow the same curriculum as the government and aided schools.
There is, as
such, no broad and overarching policy that would allow pupils currently in
Standard V to take part in the CPE examination.
Allow me to
remind the House that 2016 is the last year of the CPE as a national endof-cycle
examination. With the introduction of the Nine Year Continuous Basic Education
and the Primary School Achievement Certificate Assessment (PSAC) as from next
year, admission to Grade 7 will be solely on a regional basis.
The ‘engouement’
or the craze of some parents for their children to enter into the existing
National Colleges may well motivate them to seek grade acceleration and thus
make a case for their children to sit for CPE this last year.
I have been
informed that one private school has even set up of special classes
to
coach Standard V
pupils for CPE examinations this year.
However, allowing
this to take place across the board will certainly do more harm
than good to the
children. We are all aware of the excessive competition generated by the CPE:
none of us would wish to see our children further overstretched at an early
age.
There are levels
of complexities to be hierarchically mastered in the learning process and it is
never recommended for young learners to rush the fences, to “brûler les
étapes”.
If at all some
pupils are ever to be allowed to seek grade acceleration to take part in the CPE
exams, it will only be after careful scrutiny, or on a case to case basis upon
provision of full justification.
CPE – PRIVATE CANDIDATES
(19/07/16)
(No. B/778) Mr
O. Mahomed (Third Member for Port Louis South & Port Louis Central)
asked the Minister of Education and
Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research whether, in regard
to the Certificate of Primary Education Examinations, she will state the number
of private candidates registered to take part therein in 2016, indicating the
number thereof who had taken part therein in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
Mrs
Dookun-Luchoomun: Madam Speaker,
private candidates wishing to sit for CPE examinations have to normally register
directly at the MES.
I am advised that
for the year 2016 and as at 18 July 2016, the number stands at 463.
Madam Speaker, I
am tabling the information obtained from the MES on the number of private
candidates who sat for CPE Examinations in respect of years 2013 to 2015.
Mr
Mahomed: Out of these numbers, may we
know from the hon. Minister how many of them are from Standard V wanting to sit
for the exam beforehand?
Mrs
Dookun-Luchoomun: Madam Speaker, the
private candidates are normally students above the age of 13 and who would wish
to enroll for the exams, but we rarely have cases of students in registered
primary schools wishing to take Standard VI, but we do have the numbers and I
will give you the number. We rarely have these, but I will give you the numbers
that have requested to sit for the examination in the earlier years. I have here
from the MES a batch of students from a private fee paying school requesting to
be allowed to sit for the examination. But, according to Regulation 18.3 of the
Education Act, the Director of the MES can, upon her discretion, exceptionally
allow students to sit for examinations. We have had a number of requests at the
MES, but the MES is scrutinising these requests and trying to find out whether
there is, in fact, a reason for students to be allowed to sit for Standard VI.
We have to note, Madam Speaker, that we are in the last year of the CPE
Examinations and there is this year a certain craze on behalf of parents to get
their children to sit for the examinations.
But, as I have
said earlier, there are certain hierarchical, pedagogical issues that we have to
consider and we have to consider whether it would be right to allow students
coming out of Standard IV or out of Standard V sitting for examinations meant
for CPE students.
Madam
Speaker: Next question,
hon. Osman Mahomed!
AGALEGA ISLAND – 2016
CERTIFICATE PRIMARY EDUCATION
EXAMINATIONS – PERFORMANCE
(28/03/17)
(No. B/82) Mrs
A. Perraud (First Member for Port Louis North & Montagne Longue)
asked the Minister of Education and
Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research whether, following
the poor performance of the pupils of the Agalega Island who participated in the
2016 Certificate Primary Education Examinations, she will state if the matter
has been looked into and measures taken in relation thereto and, if so, give
details thereof.
(Withdrawn)
AGALEGA ISLAND - CPE EXAMINATION 2016 –
PERFORMANCE (04/04/17)
(No. B/160)
Mrs A. Perraud (First Member for Port Louis North & Montagne Longue)
asked the Minister of Education and
Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research whether, following
the poor performance of the pupils of the Agalega Island who participated in the
2016 Certificate Primary Education Examinations, she will state if the matter
has been looked into and measures taken in relation thereto and, if so, give
details thereof.
(Withdrawn)
AGALEGA ISLAND – CPE EXAMINATIONS – PASS
RATE (13/06/17)
(No. B/415)
Mrs A. Perraud (First Member for Port Louis North &
Montagne
Longue) asked
the Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific
Research whether, following the poor
performance of the pupils of the Agalega Island who participated in the 2016
Certificate of Primary Education Examinations, she will state if the matter has
been looked into and measures taken in relation thereto and, if so, give details
thereof.
Mrs
Dookun-Luchoomun: Madam Speaker, the performance levels of pupils
of
Agalega taking
part in the Certificate of Primary Education Examinations has been relatively
low over the years.
With regard to
the performance of pupils of Agalega, who have participated in the
2016 CPE
Examinations, the pass rate stood at 40%. This figure, although still low, shows
a slight improvement as the pass rate was much lower over the past
years.
The slight
improvement in performance has been due to a number of actions taken by the
Ministry with regards mainly to pedagogy and staffing. For year 2017, the
Ministry has posted one additional teaching Deputy Head Master and four
Educators to the primary schools.
However, efforts
should be sustained for a marked improvement of same through
reinforcement of
the teaching and learning process.
Moreover,
expression of interest would be called for teachers to conduct
remedial
education in the
island.
In order to
monitor the teaching and learning process, regular visits are conducted to
Agalega by School Inspectors. In this context, apart from the visit in March
2017, there has been a technical and pedagogical team from the Ministry
comprising School Inspectors, representatives of the MES and MIE who have
proceeded to Agalega on 12 June this year with a view to assessing the situation
and making recommendations for remedial measures to be taken and to look into
ways and means to improve teaching and learning.
Further, Madam
Speaker, in order to enhance performance of students on the island, we are
envisaging upgrading of school infrastructure and reinforcement of capacity
building as well as community mobilisation.
Furthermore, in
line with the Nine-Year Schooling reforms, the Early Support
Programme which
caters for pupils with learning difficulties, the Holistic Education Programme
and the Social and Emotional well-being Programme are being
implemented.
Mrs Perraud:
Madam Speaker, in the interest of everybody teachers, students,
education and
teaching will the Minister envisage to review the contract of teachers working
in Agalega, I mean, giving incentives to teachers so that they are willing to go
and work in Agalega and stay in Agalega long enough so that learning takes
place?
Mrs
Dookun-Luchoomun: Madam Speaker, this year we have sent a new team and a new set
of teachers has been there and they seem to be happy there and I hope that they
will continue with their teaching in the island.
Mrs Perraud: Je
voudrais aussi demander à la ministre si l’éducation dispensée à
Agalega prend en
compte la spécificité de l’île, des enfants Agaléens. Nous savons tous que
l’isolement géographique de l’île Agalega, la réalité est totalement différente
de la réalité à Maurice.
Madam Speaker :
Put your question !
Mrs Perraud :
Donc, si dans l’éducation qui est dispensée, on prend en compte la
spécificité
?
Madam Speaker:
Okay!
Mrs
Dookun-Luchoomun: Certainement, Madame la présidente. Tout cela se
fait
dans le contexte
de la réforme et nous allons nous assurer à ce que les enfants reçoivent une
éducation adéquate et prenant en considération leur environnement.
Mr Baloomoody:
Can I ask the hon. Minister in this year’s Audit Report, the Audit
made severe
remarks with regard to the distribution of books to the Agalean students, can I
know from the hon. Minister whether action has been taken to ensure that the
same mistake does not repeat itself for this academic year and the future
years?
Mrs
Dookun-Luchoomun: It is a fact, Madam Speaker, that there was a delay in the
submission of books in Agalega due to bad weather conditions and the poor
connection that we have with Agalega in terms of ships, etc. But we are taking
care of this.
Madam Speaker:
Next question, hon. Mrs
Perraud!
