YEAR 2006
PEDAGOGICAL INSPECTION – REORGANISATION (25/04/06)
(No. B/402) Mr A. Jugnauth (First Member for Quartier Militaire
and Moka) asked the Minister of Education and Human Resources whether
he will give the number of inspectors within the National Inspectorate
Division of his Ministry, indicating if this number is sufficient to carry out
inspections in both private and secondary schools.
Mr Gokhool: Mr Speaker, Sir, contrary to what has been stated by the
hon. Member, the National Inspectorate does not exist. At present, there is
within my Ministry, a primary inspectorate looking at both pedagogical and
management issues in respect of primary sector and only six pedagogical
inspectors, coming from the Private Secondary Schools Authority (PSSA),
who are undertaking periodical and ad hoc inspection in some private
secondary schools.
It appears that the attempt of my predecessor to set up a National
Inspectorate was not a consensual one and it was fraught with a series of
complications which made that, finally, it did not take off.
I am certainly not satisfied with the present state of affairs and I
intend to embark on a complete review of the whole question of pedagogical
inspection. Consultations have started with stakeholders and the work
towards the reorganisation of pedagogical inspection is progressing
smoothly.
RECTORS – PROMOTION (23/05/06)
(No. B/581) Mrs S. Grenade (Second Member for GRNW and
Port Louis West) asked the Minister of Education and Human Resources
whether he will table a list of Rectors who have been promoted following
the last promotion exercise.
Mr Gokhool: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am tabling the list of the persons
appointed rectors so far.
STATE AND PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOLS - PEDAGOGICAL
INSPECTORS – (29/05/07)
(No. B/506) Mrs L. D. Dookun-Luchoomun (Third Member for La
Caverne and Phoenix) asked the Minister of Education and Human Resources
whether, in regard to the pedagogical inspectors attached to his Ministry, he will
state –
(a) the number thereof, and
(b) the number of State and private secondary schools which they have
visited since January 2006 to May 2007, indicating –
(i) the names of the schools and the classes visited, and
(ii) the date on which each of these visits was effected.
Mr Gokhool: Mr. Speaker Sir, as regards part (a) there are four
Pedagogical Inspectors on the establishment of my Ministry at the moment.
As regards part (b), I am informed that the Pedagogical Inspectors have
visited MEDCO Schools, some private secondary schools and 8 State
Secondary Schools.
I am tabling the program of visits from January 2006 to May 2007.
Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun: May I ask the hon. Minister whether he
considers that four pedagogical inspectors would be sufficient to carry out
inspection in all the secondary schools of the island?
Mr Gokhool: Mr Speaker, Sir, I need to inform the House that the whole
idea of inspectorate is an old one and even the previous Government tried to put up in place a National Inspectorate which did not work. The position of
pedagogical inspectors existed at that time. The whole idea of national
inspectorate is a little outdated, because when we talk about pedagogical
inspection, it is associated with the idea of control, inspection and policing.
In the context of the reform in education sector, we are trying to move
away from that concept to the concept of quality assurance and proposals in that respect are being studied at my Ministry. We are looking at how to set up a
system of quality assurance which will provide for pedagogical improvement
programmes.
Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun: In view of the high ambition that the
Ministry had set for itself by trying to provide world-class quality education to
our students, may I ask the hon. Minister whether he does not think that some
form of quality assurance is required and whether we can wait for it to come
later on? But right now, Mr Speaker, Sir, we have so many students in
schools/colleges and we need to have some accompaniment so as to ensure that
the teaching/learning process is adequate.
Mr Gokhool: Mr Speaker, Sir, the hon. lady was part of the team that
was in Parliament during the last mandate, and for five years nothing was done.
(Interruptions)
Of course! Because the inspectors who are based at PSSA were transferred to the Ministry without any scheme as to how they are going to operate.
(Interruptions)
In fact, for five years nothing was done! This is a fact!
Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun: Mr Speaker, Sir, no matter what was the aim of the former Government, my point of view is that we cannot put at stake…
Mr Speaker: Can the hon. put her question, please?
Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun: May I ask the hon. Minister whether he
thinks that we can put at stake the future of our students and the whole teaching
learning process by just throwing the stone at the former Government? No
matter what the former Government may have chosen to do, I am asking the
hon. Minister what does he think he ought to do right now?
Mr Gokhool: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am happy that the hon. lady recognizes
that the previous Government failed.
(Interruptions)
Mr Speaker: Hon. Dowarkasing, do you want to go out? Order, I said!
Mr Gokhool: In fact, Mr Speaker, Sir, the previous Government was not able to put up the National Inspectorate. It is a fact. What we are doing is in
terms of improving the quality of teaching and learning.
(Interruptions)
Mr Speaker: Order!
Mr Golhool: In fact, we have taken the steps already. I informed the
House that we have carried out…
Mr Speaker: The hon. Minister should not respond to the hon. Member.
(Interruptions)
Order! Order, I said!
Mr Gokhool: Mr Speaker, Sir, as I said, as part of improving the quality
of teaching and learning, we have put to good use the inspectors who are at the
Ministry. They have carried out a survey in terms of the optimal utilization of
teaching resources in MEDCO schools and secondary schools and this has
given results. We are clustering the various schools so that the administrators
together with the inspectors carry out inspection as at now, but in the context of
quality assurance we are going to come up with a new system, which will be
very much in line with the reform programme of the Government.
Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun : May I ask the hon. Minister whether he
intends to beef up the Inspectorate Division?
Mr Gokhool: As I said, Mr Speaker, Sir, proposals are under
consideration to set up a quality assurance system, which is more in terms of
involving the schools, the Heads of Departments, the teachers and even the
parents, whereas at present it is like the inspector going out to school to inspect.
This creates a lot of resistance and tensions and bad feelings. So, we are
moving from the concept of traditional pedagogical inspection to quality
assurance which we are going to put up in due course.
Mrs Labelle: May we know from the hon. Minister what are the
objectives of these inspections for the time being? What are the inspectors
inspecting? Is it the pedagogical side or the infrastructural side?
Mr Gokhool: I informed the House previously, but I am going to repeat.
The inspectors have been given specific projects. For example, in terms of optimum utilization of teaching resources in the MEDCO schools and in the
State Secondary Schools, they have carried out a project and this has given good results. Now, they are clustering the schools and working with the
administrators to ensure the quality of teaching and learning in schools.
SSS – QUALITY ASSURANCE/PEDAGOGICAL INSPECTION (07/07/09)
(No. B/751) Mrs L. D. Dookun-Luchoomun (Third Member for La Caverne and Phoenix) asked the Minister of Education, Culture and Human Resources whether, in regard to the State Secondary Schools, he will state if any quality assurance or pedagogical inspection is carried out thereat, to ensure.
Dr. Bunwaree: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Quality Assurance is a priority concern for my Ministry and action had been initiated for the setting up of a Quality Assurance and Inspection Division in my Ministry. The PRB Report 2008 has supported this proposal and has recommended the establishment of a full-fledged Quality Assurance and Inspection Division.
Following the PRB Report 2008 and the Errors and Omissions Report 2009, the schemes for the post of Director, Quality Assurance, Senior Quality Assurance Officer and Quality Assurance Officer are now being prescribed. In the meantime, in order to ensure that Quality Assurance Services are in place, my Ministry is currently recruiting, on contract, one (1) Project Manager,
Quality Assurance, and 6 Quality Assurance Officers under the Capacity Building Programme.
Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, my concern is about the teaching and learning process. May I ask from the hon. Minister whether he would look into the matter as it seems teachers, new recruits, need some guidance and they are operating on their own in a sort of vacuum without the necessary guidance? This is why I have put this question.
Dr. Bunwaree: In fact, I understood the gist of the question and being given how it is in civil service, schemes of service, procedures and so on, this is why I have opted to go on contract to get the work going.
Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun: May I ask the hon. Minister whether he is prepared with the few officers that he has at hand on his establishment right now start off a new programme for pedagogical inspection?
Dr. Bunwaree: It is too few, but with the appointment, it is a question of weeks, we are going to start it.
YEAR 2010
QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICERS – RECRUITMENT (23/03/10)
(No. B/41) Mrs L. D. Dookun-Luchoomun (Third Member for La Caverne & Phoenix) asked the Minister of Education, Culture and Human Resources whether he will state if his Ministry has now recruited Quality Assurance Officers and, if so, indicate the number thereof.
Dr. Bunwaree: Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to refer the hon. Member to my reply to PQ B/751, wherein I stated that the scheme of service for the various posts in the Quality Assurance cadre were being prescribed. In line with existing procedures, the draft scheme of service is currently being considered at the level of the Federations of Civil Service Unions.
Eight posts of Quality Assurance Officer have been created and, as soon as the scheme of service is prescribed, the vacancies would be filled.
In the same reply, I further stated that my Ministry was in the process of recruiting, on contract, one Project Manager (Quality Assurance), and six Quality Assurance Officers under the Capacity Building Programme.
It has not been possible so far to recruit Quality Assurance Officers on contract under the Capacity Building Programme as proposed, because procedures for recruitment under this programme are also being revised.
In the meantime, arrangements have been made at the level of my Ministry for the Quality Assurance and Inspection Division to be manned by one Acting Director, one Adviser on Quality Assurance and Inspection Matters, and four Pedagogical Inspectors.
I wish to reiterate that quality assurance is a priority concern for my Ministry for dispensing quality education to our children. It will help in aligning our schools with new trends and developments in education and also with latest standards and benchmarks that are being adopted in educational systems worldwide.
Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun: Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask the hon. Minister whether he is aware about the urgent need for pedagogical inspection in schools presently? I do appreciate that there are works going on, but still it is important to ensure that pedagogical issues are treated in a proper manner in the 200 secondary schools of the island.
Dr. Bunwaree: In fact, the hon. Member knows, because it is the second time we are coming with the same question. As I explained, we are having some administrative delays but, in the meantime, we have set up a Division with at least one Ag. Director and five other people to help us in the work we are doing. I appreciate the difficulty that the hon. Member is raising in
the House. In fact, it is one; we hope that very soon we will be able to get the schemes of service and have a full-fledged Division set up.
SECONDARY SCHOOLS – INSPECTORS (06/07/10)
(No. 1A/13) Mr S. Obeegadoo (Third Member for Curepipe & Midlands) asked the Minister of Education and Human Resources whether, in regard to Secondary Schools, he will –
(a) give the number of inspectors in post for State Secondary Schools, and
(b) for the benefit of the House, obtain from the Private Secondary Schools Authority, information as to the number of inspectors for Private Secondary Schools.
Reply: In regard to part (a), the number of Inspectors in post for State Secondary schools -
(i) Pedagogical Inspectors : 4
(ii) Inspectors (Pre-Vocational) : 5
Three Pedagogical Inspectors are currently attached to the Quality Assurance and Inspection Division. Following the recommendations of the PRB Report 2008, a Quality Assurance and Inspection Division has been set up in the Ministry.
The structure of the Quality Assurance and Inspection Division is made up of -
(i) a Director, Quality Assurance who is currently in post in an acting capacity;
(ii) one Senior Quality Assurance Officer, and
(iii) eight Quality Assurance Officers.
Procedures for prescribing the scheme of service of the grades of Director, Quality Assurance, Senior Quality Assurance Officer and Quality Assurance Officer have already been initiated. Once the schemes of service are prescribed, action will be initiated for recruitment.
In regard to part (b), there are no Inspectors as such at the Private Secondary Schools Authority (PSSA) since 2001. The Inspectorate Section at the PSSA has been restructured in a Supervisory Unit which is actually manned by -
(i) 3 Principal Supervisors;
(ii) 1 Principal Supervisor (Acting), and
(iii) 9 Supervisors/Senior Supervisors.
RABINDRANATH TAGORE SSS, BELL VILLAGE SSS & EBENE SSS – CLASSROOM BLOCKS – CONSTRUCTION (13/06/17)
(No. A/8) Mr G. Oree (Second Member for Port Louis North & Montagne
Longue) asked the Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research whether, in regard to the Rabindranath Tagore State Secondary School at Ilot, the Bell Village State Secondary School and the Ebene State Secondary School respectively, she will state where matters stand as to the proposed construction of additional facilities and classroom blocks thereat, in the wake of the implementation of the Nine Year
Basic Schooling Programme, indicating if works have started therefor and, if not, why not.
Reply: In the context of the Nine Year Continuous Basic Education, a number of initiatives and measures are being implemented amongst which the construction of additional facilities to create a more conducive teaching/learning environment for all students.
With regard to the construction of additional facilities at Rabindranath Tagore State Secondary School at Ilot, the Bell Village State Secondary School and the Ebène State Secondary School respectively, the requested information is being tabled.
