A Changing Society: The Pedagogical Climate in which Mauritian Children Grow Up

Abstract

Although the Mauritian government aims at making a transition into a knowledge based economy, little is known about whether the pedagogical climate surrounding children in Mauritius contributes to their academic achievement and the development of the 21st century skills. According to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory different socialising agents at multiple levels can contribute to optimal child development. The aim of this explorative baseline research was therefore to provide the Ministry of Education with descriptive information about whether or not child rearing practices in the pedagogical climate at micro and meso level contribute to the macroeconomic goal. Because constructivist classrooms, authoritative child rearing approaches and a robust educative and pedagogical civil society are prerequisites for optimal child development, this mix-method study researched these aspects in five districts while making a distinction between advantaged and disadvantaged communities. Data was collected from a sample of headmasters (n = 5), teachers (n = 88), parents (n = 268) and children aged eight to ten (n = 155). Findings showed that the climate did not fully contribute to optimal child development because of a pedagogical mismatch between child rearing approaches at home and at school. This was especially the case amongst the disadvantaged communities, where the civil society was eve less robust than in advantaged communities. This indicated that change is required to provide children with a pedagogical climate in which they can optimally develop into critical citizens that can adapt to their changing society, because of the transition into a knowledge based economy.