An evaluation of the Broadening of the Curricular Base Project Mauritius

1. An evaluation of the Broadening of the Curricular Base ProjectMauritius Mauritius team : Dr P. Mohadeb Mr O. Varma Mr R. Auckbur Presented by R. Auckbur

2. The background • Education broad-based (students do all subjects) only up to year III of Secondary in Mauritius • As from year IV of secondary level, students start specialising – e.g. doing for example a “sciences stream” and NOT then doing any social science • Not acceptable in a multidisciplinary services- oriented and technological work environment required by our human resource • Need to introduce a broad curriculum up to year V of secondary to ensure a multidisciplinary training up to at least mid secondary level • A broad curriculum (all science students do a social science, all social science students do a pure science) piloted since 2008 in 14 secondary schools

3. Hypothesis The students in the pilot colleges are more open to 21st century skills and are more multidisciplinary at the end of their secondary schooling

4. Target group • Year V students in the pilot colleges in 2010 • Schools in the pilot scheme are representative of schools across the island – stratified sampling

5. Methodology • End of year V of secondary school performance of students in pilot schools will be analyzed in 2011– Outcome Indicator : Grade aggregate of students (combination of student’s best grades at year V of secondary school exam) • End of secondary school (year VII) performance of students in pilot schools will be analyzed in 2013 – Outcome Indicator : Results in General paper at end of secondary school exam • Control group : Random sampling of students in non – pilot colleges and performance also analyzed with same indicators used • Timeline : 2011 - Analysis at end of year V level • 2012 - Mid project report presenting findings at Year V • 2013 – Analysis at end of Secondary schooling – Findings at end of Year VII • 2013 – Final report

6. Team • Ministry of Education and Human Resources • Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research • World Bank APEIE experts • Mauritius Institute of Education • Mauritius Research Council

7. Consultations • 14 Pilot colleges • Random sample of non –pilot colleges (total of about 150 non-pilot schools) • Heads of educational institutions • Parents

8. Baseline • Performance at year III of students BEFORE they were streamed into pilot and non-pilot colleges

9. Comments • Baseline (Form III exam in 2007) is not a national exam • Indicators are still academic indicators – survey will need to also analyse qualitative knowledge of students to gauge how prepared the students are in a multidisciplinary environment

10. Next steps • Mauritius currently not an APEIE country • TOR for the project to be discussed and defined • Approval for Impact Evaluation to be carried out and secured at all levels • MoU to be eventually drafted with WB • Impact evaluation carried out 2011-2013 • Ministry to use findings of Impact Evaluation to guide policy to roll out project to ALL schools as from 2012-2013

11. Thank you