Mathematics education in Mauritius: Issues and research directions

While on the international front, a diverse set of issues has surfaced in relation to the teaching and learning of school Mathematics, such discussions have been left almost unattended at the local level. We have barely analysed where we have been so far in terms of Mathematics education, what are the current issues and how are we envisaging the future. This article casts a critical glance at Mathematics Education in Mauritius and is guided by two main objectives. Firstly, it delineates a set of indicators to show how Mauritian students are faring in Mathematics. Documentary and statistical evidences based on students’ performance at the national level are used as secondary data to scrutinise the current state of Mathematics Education in Mauritius. The striking consistency in students’ performance in Mathematics across the education system over the years is revealing of the established Mathematics culture in Mauritius. Secondly, the paper shows how the Mathematics culture in Mauritius is shaped by two significant variables, namely the heavy premise on examinations and the influential Cambridge syllabi. Further, it raises three important issues in relation to language, gender and teaching together with teacher knowledge. In ensuing discussion, the paper also brings to the fore a number of elements that deserves research attention.