Professor Marc Serge Rivière : “Rise in school violence reflects the slipping of values”

Newly appointed president of English Speaking Union (ESU) and president of the Rotary Club of Port Louis, Professor Marc Serge Rivière has published 35 books in French and English and over 70 refereed articles in international journals. Historian and teacher of English and French, Professor Rivière has 45 years of experience in the field of education. He shares with us his views on the decline in English language among our youth, how to empower the youth and more. 

It seems that there is a decline in the use English language in our schools and among our youth. In your opinion, what explains this drop?
We have a rich heritage in English Language and Culture. Yet, our nation is not always aware of the essential role that English plays in our national identity. When I was a student at the Royal College Curepipe, every subject was taught entirely in English and our Rector and several teachers were of British origin. Gradually, as obstacles in comprehension arose in the classroom, English started making way to Creole or French. Don’t get me wrong; I am in favour of a multi-lingual and multicultural society, the only way to promote tolerance and a good understanding among the community. 

But the fact remains that English is a truly international language with an extensive reach into all domains and all corners of the globe. So, our students who are vying for places in this highly competitive and fast-changing world must adapt to the needs. Even if you have passed HSC and done General Paper, some Universities will insist on your passing IELTS or a corresponding exam. This especially applies to students of Lycées. If Mauritians wish to emigrate to Australia or Canada and UK, then their proficiency in English may be a pre-requisite.

We suggest personal reading projects, parents encouraging English being spoken at home, building up vocabulary, enhancing students’ confidence in the language through active participation in school, ESU, British Council or any competitions and classes."

So, the question is therefore, why do we neglect this? 
One clear explanation is that too much is left to the Educator; students spend only a fraction of the day at school, and total immersion in English is not available outside. However, newspapers, TV, discussions in youth groups, reading can all contribute to partial immersion. We have social media platforms, websites and more which enable students to listen actively to English. My answer to the question is that we put too much emphasis on school work, on private tuition, on instruction, with little time for leisure in English; we are far too eager to see “Results” in academic terms. 

In addition, let us not be too self-conscious about accent and pronunciation: of course they matter, but English is not just the English of the BBC and all types of accents such as the Australian, Indian, South African and others, are acceptable. Students in Mauritius should not be shy; let them be aware of diversity and the different registers, of a variety of modes of communication. Above all, reading is the key to improved vocabulary; make use of books (e-books or paper books), visit your libraries and practise active listening as you watch TV in English! 

As English is a universal language, what should be done to promote it among the young generation?
Students should be encouraged to take charge of their own learning. In the ESU message on English Language Day, we suggested the following: “A language is not always to acquire, even when we are surrounded by it. It takes time and effort, a willingness to communicate in the language.

Moreover, an understanding of the value of the language is also needed to fully engage with the language. This means that we cannot expect to do all the learning about English from an English textbook.” We suggest personal reading projects, parents encouraging English being spoken at home, building up vocabulary, enhancing students’ confidence in the language through active participation in school, ESU, British Council or any competitions and classes. Above all, we must love the Language and give ourselves to it. Often, this is left to Educators, but parents may try to arouse a passion for Shakespeare and Wordsworth or Jane Austen in their offsprings. 

Role models are not easily available; notions of civic purity and integrity are rarer; short-term gains have superseded longer-term aims like the survival of our planet."

On the other hand, the world of education itself has known tremendous changes with increasing violence at schools, bullying and drugs. How can we reverse the situation and empower our youth?
This is a sad situation which is a relatively new phenomenon. It reflects the slipping of values in a competitive society, with less emphasis on values and more on results and selfishness or egocentricity. Perhaps our Education System does not hinge enough on ‘Education’ and too much on ‘Instruction’. There is little time to inculcate “civic values” as the syllabus must be covered. Role models are not easily available; notions of civic purity and integrity are rarer; short-term gains have superseded longer-term aims like the survival of our planet. Frustration in the young also comes from the promise of jobs; yet there is little by way of openings. Education for life is the solution but we are all stakeholders in this campaign on behalf of our youths. 

Today we are always encouraging the young people to learn about new technology but at the same time, they are neglecting the importance of history. Why is it important for them to know about the history of their country?
We are a relatively young nation on the march but our national identity has been moulded as much by the past as the present. Therefore, we need to ponder on past events to grasp the present and prepare the future. It is with regret that I, as a Cultural Historian, realized upon returning to Mauritius in 2008, that History was no longer an independent subject studied at secondary level. It appears to be making a comeback, but I urge the Ministry of Education to pursue this line of thinking. Our national identity is made up of our collective experiences; how can we know this without notions of slavery, indentured labour, the emergence of education, the achievements of leaders such as Mahe de Labourdonnais, Sir John Pope Hennessy, Manillal Doctor, SSR’s gift of free education? So, let us protect our physical, intellectual and cultural heritage; let us reflect on the folly on pulling down old buildings.

Otherwise, you have also written a book on electricity. Many families in Mauritius still have difficulties to have access to electricity. What should be done to address those situations?
For my book, “Lighting the Way Ahead: The History of Electricity in Mauritius” (1880-2015), I was asked by the CEB to highlight the key developments in Mauritius and Rodrigues. The first chapter, ‘The Dawn of Electrification in Mauritius (1880-1952), gave me much pleasure; it evoked the first lighting of Curepipe in 1881 and the later electrification of the Port Louis Theatre in 1884, among others. I perceived the resolute spirit of man to overcome challenges set in his path by unpredictable nature, such as cyclones and droughts. 

Today, much remains to be done through the CEB and IPPs; although some families have yet to have access to electricity, the CEB emerged, from my study, as an organization marked by a willingness to embark on “perpetual re-invention in order to meet an ever-growing demand for affordable and environmentally sustainable energy” (Preface by Minister Ivan Collendavelloo). As an optimist, I share this view and would suggest that as in all matters, the 100% electrification of Mauritius is a matter of time.