NEWSLETTER

THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION

Issue No. 40
June 2014

Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English

PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE

Dear ESU Friends

I should like to provide you with an update on the tremendous work that is being undertaken by the
English-Speaking Union to strengthen the use of English language amongst our youngsters, teachers
and members.
As you know, ESU-Mauritius focuses on educational programmes mainly for secondary school students.
This year, as an innovation, the Finals of our Public Speaking Competition were held in the studio of
the MBC indeed a premiere for the ESU!!! Our aim was to reach out to a larger audience, and to
make ESU better known to the public. The target was attained as the event was very well reported
in the MBC News and broadcast twice on television. Prior to the competition, ESU organized
workshops on persuasive speech training for all participants, in Mauritius and in Rodrigues, to help
them improve their performance. Participants learnt how to develop the vital skills that enable them
to speak with confidence in public. Research conducted in the UK showed that students, who are
given ample opportunities to develop verbal and oral communication skills, acquire self-confidence
and do better in life.

The United Nations has declared the 23rd April, which is the birthday of William Shakespeare, as the International English
Language Day. For the second year running, the English-Speaking Union, with the continued support of the Ministry of
Education and Human Resources, marked the English-Language Day with the delivery of a message read at the assembly of
secondary schools to create awareness on the importance of the English Language in Mauritius and internationally. It is
envisaged to extend this practice to primary schools as well.
Our Spelling Bee Competition remained strong with a steady number of participants in both Mauritius and in Rodrigues. This
is a sign that Rectors, Teachers and students recognise the educational value underpinning this programme. However,
participants should be reminded that their efforts should not be confined to the Spelling Bee competition only. Trying to
spell properly should be an ongoing process to enable them to write proper English, not to mention adequate grammar and
an enriched vocabulary.
ESU ran the Spelling Bee Competition and a story telling competition in Rodrigues earlier in June. I was very pleased to
have been able to travel to Rodrigues to promote the English language there too Exposure to the English language from a
young age develops skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing English, thus enhancing the performance of English
among young pupils. ESU had organized a Tell A Tale workshop - on a pilot basis - to encourage primary schools
teachers in Rodrigues to devote time daily to reading to their pupils. As part of this programme, a story-telling competition
was organized for Standard V pupils in Rodrigues, and proved a success.
I was delighted by the warm welcome given to the ESU in Rodrigues. I
was also very much impressed to see how these young pupils used their
imagination and creativity to tell us their stories, with a good command of
English. I should like to congratulate the teachers for their efforts. It was
very encouraging and promising!
Thanks to our partnership with the US Embassy, every year, our teachers
have the possibility of following innovative distance learning courses which
will enable them to improve the quality of their teaching. We are
currently selecting participants for the 2014/2015 E-Teacher Scholarship
Programme. We encourage teachers to take part in the programme which
is run annually.

Pupils singing a welcoming song to the ESU

Now that we are entering the second semester, ESU will focus on activities for adult members: our annual dinner, a debate
on television, a scrabble competition and more
On a last note, I should like to thank all our members and sponsors for their loyal support and dedication to the ESU.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK, President, ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org

Creating global understanding through English

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING APRIL 2014

STORY TELLING
COMPETITION FOR
STANDARD V PUPILS IN
RODRIGUES

The
English-Speaking
Union held its Annual
General
Meting
on
Monday 7th April 2014
at the British Council.
The President, Mr A. Prem Burton, CSK, gave a detailed
account of ESU activities for the year 2013. Mr Rajendra
Korlapu-Bungaree, Treasurer, presented the Financial
Statements of the ESU and conveyed our appreciation to
Mr Shareef Ramjan of SRA Associates who carried out the
auditing of ESU accounts free of charge.
The English-Speaking Union is pleased to announce its
Office Bearers for the year 2014/2015.
Patron
: Sir Victor Glover, Kt, GOSK
President
: Mr A. Prem Burton, CSK
Vice-Presidents : Mrs Marie-France Roussety
Mr Parmaseeven Veeraragoo
Mr Rajen Gangoosingh
Secretary
: Mr Barlen Vyapoory
Treasurer
: Mr Rajendra Korlapu-Bungaree
Asst Secretary : Mr Philip Li Ching Hum
Members
: Mr Parmanand Nunkoo, OSK
Mr Aniroodh Ramjeeawon, PDSM
Mrs Pratima Devi Beedasy
Mr Ganesh Rampat
Mr Bisnoodev Bissoonauth
Mrs Georgina Ragaven
Mr Deepak Maunthrooa
Mrs Sanjiveni Poull
Ms Dawn Long, British Council
Prof Serge Rivire
Rep of the British High Commission
Rep of the US Embassy
Rep of the Ministry of Arts & Culture
Rep of the Ministry of Education & H.R
Rep of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Rep of Prime Ministers Office
In this Issue
Annual General Meeting. 2
Story Telling Competition Rodrigues 2
Public Speaking Competition 3
Commonwealth Day Observance . 3
International Public Speaking Competition ... 4
Achieving Excellence Through the ESU... 5
Forthcoming Events .... 5
English Language Day .. 6
National Spelling Bee Competition .. 7
Support to English Teachers . 8

Chief Commissioner, Mr Serge

Clair, congratulating the winner
of the Story telling competition

The English Speaking Union

organised a story telling
competition for standard V
pupils in Rodrigues, at the
the Cultural and Leisure
Centre, Mont Plaisir, on
Wednesday 18th June 2014.

The story telling competition was run in collaboration with

the Chief Commissioners Office and the Commission for
Education in Rodrigues, and was sponsored by the
Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd.
Prior to the competition, Mr A. Prem Burton, President of
the ESU, and Mr Serge Clair, Chief Commissioner and
Commissioner for Education, addressed the pupils
Story telling is a fun activity which encourages the use of
imagination and creativity, and strengthens the pupils
confidence in speaking English from an early age. Mr
Prem Burton said Being exposed to the English language
from a young age develops skills in listening, speaking,
reading and writing English, thus enhancing the
performance of English of young pupils. In his address,
Mr Serge Clair spoke about the importance of the English
language and congratulated all participants for taking
part in the competition.
Twelve pupils took part in the competition. Judges -Mr
Prem Burton, Mr Lelio Roussety, former Commissioner for
Education and Mrs Susan Auguste, British Hon. Consul were impressed by the confidence in which the
participants narrated their respective stories. The first
prize went to Andreyanna Ravina from Basile Allas Port
Mathurin Government School who narrated the story of
The Hare and the Tortoise and explained the moral
lesson behind the story. The two runner-ups were Marie
Emilia Edouard and Clarissa Cupidon of Antoinette
Prudence St Famille RCA and Terre Rouge Government
School respectively.
All participants received gifts from the MCB and the ESU.
MCB offered cash
vouchers to the
winner and two
runner-ups.
Our thanks to Mr
Orlando Auguste
and Mrs M.V.
Emilien for helping
in the organisation
of the competition. A big thank you to Mrs Kovilah
Veeraragoo, Project Officer, representing the ESU for the
Tell a Tale workshop and the story telling competition in
Rodrigues.

ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org

Creating global understanding through English

THE 2014 PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION

Sponsored by HSBC Mauritius, HSBC Global
Education Trust and the British Council
The Public Speaking Competition kicked off on 30th
January 2014 and the Finals were held on Thursday
27th March in the studio of the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation.
The panel of judges was made up of H.E. Nick Leake,
British High Commissioner, Ms Dawn Long, Director of
the British Council and Ms Giovanna Viscione, Chief
Finance Officer of HSBC Mauritius.
For the second year running, Dr Maurice Cur State
College won the competition.
Subadra Ghoorun
Participants eagerly waiting for the judges decision.
impressed the judges with a speech entitled One word
H.E. Nick Leake, British High commissioner addressing the audience.
Ms Subadra Ghoorun was declared Winner of the 2014 PSC.
shared, in line with this years theme To be Human is
to Discuss..
The first runner-up was Mr Olivier Lenoir of Lyce des Mascareignes whose speech was entitled Words build the world.
The 2nd runner-up was Ms Grace Pearlyn Chan Too of Loreto College, Port Louis. Other finalists were Deepanjalee
Appadoo of Northfields International High School, Esther Yvon of Pamplemousses State Secondary School, Marie Emilie
Agathe of Rodrigues College, Kayshen Samoo of Royal College Curepipe, Omal Afzal Reshan Auleear of Royal College
Port Louis and Teerajsing Akash Ramlochun of St Josephs College.
The Public Speaking Competition is one of the major educational programmes, run annually in the 55 countries around the
globe where the English-Speaking Union is established. It is estimated that over 40,000 students are involved in this
competition every year. At the level of ESU-Mauritius, this year, the public speaking competition attracted a total of 109
participants from 81 schools. ESU encouraged all participating schools to run an in-house competition before the selection of
their candidates. This competition not only enhances the participants public speaking and critical thinking skills; it also places
them in situations requiring them to make spontaneous responses. Further, it allows participants to meet their fellow students
and express their thoughts on a number of very important issues.
Thanks to the financial support of HSBC Bank (Mauritius), ESU was able to run workshops, at various stages of the
competition, on public speaking skills to enhance the performance of the participants, both in Mauritius and in Rodrigues.
Indeed, prior to the competition in Rodrigues, Mr Barlen Vyapoorty travelled there to run the workshop for all the
participants. All participants received prizes from the British Council. The Winner was offered an air ticket to London to
represent Mauritius at the International Public Speaking Competition and some pocket money, compliments of the HSBC.
ESU is very grateful to all members, volunteers and staff of host schools who helped us in the organization of the competition
this year.
COMMONWEALTH DAY OBSERVANCE : The Commonwealth Day was observed at the Finals of the
Public Speaking Competition, in the studio of the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation. Sir Victor Glover,
Hon. Representative of the Royal Commonwealth Society, read Her Majesty the Queens
Commonwealth Day Message.
Here are a few extracts of Her Majestys message issued on 10th March 2014 : In July this year, the
opening of the 20th Commonwealth Games will be marked by the arrival in Glasgow of the baton that
started its journey from Buckingham Palace five months ago. Many of us are following closely the news of
the baton relay as it passes through the 70 countries and territories whose teams will gather for the Games.
The images bring vividly to life what we mean by the Commonwealth family: it is wonderful to see the
warmth, shared endeavour and goodwill as the baton is passed through the hands of many thousands of
people.
Affinities of history and inheritance from the past are strong; yet we are bound together by a sense that the Commonwealth is a
powerful influence of good for the future. People of all ages from different cultures are weaving an ever-growing network of
links which connect us in our diversity and our common purpose. It is this unity that is expressed in this year's theme: 'Team
Commonwealth'. While national teams will be concentrating on the competition in August, Team Commonwealth will have a
longer focus, working together to achieve a more enduring success I am delighted that in the year of 'Team Commonwealth',
we will be working to build a brighter, united future in which every one of us can play a part and share in its rewards!
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org

Creating global understanding through English

THE
INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC
SPEAKING
COMPETITON (IPSC) MAY 2014
A truly international competition involving
participants from some 55 countries
The IPSC has now been running for 33 years. It aims at
bringing together the best speakers from all over the
world for a week of international cultural exchange. It
showcases the very highest standard of public speaking
from around the world, while giving delegates an
opportunity to meet and engage with other young people
of different backgrounds and culture.
This years international theme was Imagination is more
important than Knowledge
JAE HYUN PARK FROM SOUTH KOREA WINS THE IPSC
Representatives of India, South Africa, Australia, Mexico,
the Republic of Korea and Malaysia reached the finals
and all gave fantastic speeches at the grand final held at
HSBC headquarters, London.
Ultimately, the judges reached a decision and declared
that the winner was Jae Hyun Park from the Republic of
Korea who gave a thought-provoking speech entitled
Dare to Dream. The runner-up award went to Maria
Ballesteros from Mexico for her speech on the war on
drugs. The Audience choice award went to Kudzai
Sibanda of South Africa.
All participants left London to return home with memories
and friendships that they wont forget
As part of the five-day programme in London,
participants received training in public speaking and
debating skills from world class ESU mentors. Training in
expression, delivery, listening and response skills were
designed to improve the participants delivery of their
prepared speeches and their ability to listen and respond
to questions.
Training in organization and prioritization of arguments,
reasoning and analysis, as well as critical thinking skills
were designed to improve the participants ability to
write and deliver an impromptu speech.
Participants also received training in drama, theatre and
performance at the Shakespeares Globe Theatre. The
aim was to enhance their expressive and persuasive
abilities as well as their improvisation skills and
confidence generally. Besides, the programme included
visits to the House of Parliament, BBC TV studios, Hampton
Court Palace, a trip to the theatre and more
The culmination of this worldwide event was the Grand
Finals held at HSBC headquarters in London on Friday
16th May 2014.

Our National winner, Subadra

Ghoorun, flew to London to take
part in the IPSC.
At the
preliminaries, Subadra delivered a
speech entitled The missing link
and qualified for the semi-finals
where her impromptu topic was an
eye for an eye makes the world go
blind. Subadra tells us about the
truly one of the best experiences
she could ever have.
The ESU provided me with a platform that I had never
been on before. A platform to speak and most importantly
a platform to be heard. Meeting people of my own age,
who could stand up and speak about what they thought had
to be said, without fear, and who would willingly listen and
acknowledge what I had to say gave me the courage to
voice out my own personal opinions.
ESU has quite simply changed my life and given me a new
direction, a new perspective of my future. I now see endless
opportunities because I no longer have fears.
Dartmouth House is quite simply the home of the EnglishSpeaking Union in London. It was also the stepping stone to
the most thrilling week ahead. Workshops were held there
with our ever enthusiastic mentors ready to teach us all that
they knew about the secret of public speaking. There we
bonded and shared our skills and art in very unique ways.
Busy, bustling, cosmopolitan, thats London and getting out
there to experience what made this citys heart beat was my
mission. A visit to the House of Parliament was the best
place to start. I cannot even describe the feeling I had when
I realised that the only thing that separated me from the
room where the worlds most powerful and influential
leaders were busy debating, was a simple door A break
in the famous gardens, dining along the majestic Thames,
seeing the London eye and hearing Big Ben was just the
beginning of only one fun day.
Shakespeares Globe Theatre was our next stop and quite
frankly the most enjoyable three hours spent in London. We
were all trained in drama by an expert who gave us a tour
of the Globe where we watched their famous players
rehearse.
The week got even better when we were given a bus tour of
London after a tough morning of competition. Later that
evening, we watched the world renowned Broadway show,
the Lion King.
And of course on the last day at the HSBC headquarters the
grand winner of the IPSC was crowned! In a desperate
attempt to create everlasting friendships and great
memories, we all hit the city for one last time that night!
What a wonderful week it was!!!

ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org

Creating global understanding through English

ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE THROUGH

THE ESU
By Anitah Aujayeb
(article appeared in Le Mauricien in April
2014)

The ESU, that is the English Speaking

Union, Mauritius Branch, based at Port
Louis is doing its utmost towards
promoting the English Language in our
country.
Apart from the various ongoing activities it caters for,
namely The Bee Spelling Competition, The Commonwealth
Essay competition, the Online Certificate courses for
English teachers in collaboration with American universities,
The Summer course at The Shakespeares Globe Theatre
in the heart of London or at Stratford Upon Avon, where
Mauritius is represented by an English teacher, the Public
Speaking competition is and remains one of its topmost
achievements as far as the betterment of the English
Language in Mauritius is concerned.
The finals of the Public Speaking competition in English
were held at the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation. It
was as the English say A feast for the eyes and a feast
for the ears. Anyone present on the day would have
surely been agreeably surprised
by
the highly
commendable level of English spoken over there. Gone
are the days when Mauritian students stumbled when
speaking English. Gone are the days when Mauritian
teachers felt hopeless and helpless when thinking of their
struggles to empower their students with speaking skills in
English. The teaching and the learning of the English
Language have taken an astounding turn and the soaring
level of the language heard at the MBC is a proof in
itself that the ESU has gone through an outstanding
performance.
The Public Speaking Competition is an annual feature of
the ESU since years. If in the early years only a few
participants could be heard, it is now an event not to be
missed in secondary schools. Hence jury members at the
Heats have a very tough time to select the best from each
lot. Those who make it to the finals know how tough it is to
be selected, not only through the delivery of their speech
but after going through the round of pertinent questions
they have to answer fluently and with great logic and
show of maturity.
The winner then amply deserves the most coveted prize
which is a return ticket to London, participation in the
International Competition held at the Headquarters of the
ESU, in great pomp and elegance, in the traditional British
style, with all the other benefits and privileges derived
from. I bet students have already started getting ready
for the next competition after reading this article.

A lady who was sitting near me in the finals confided This

is a dream come true. She told me that she was with the
ESU in its debut days and she had always dreamed
about such progress as far as speaking good English was
concerned. The lady was clearly enjoying every bit of the
event, totally satisfied that the present team at the ESU
has been able to make her dream come true.
There can be many more people having the same opinion
that the ESU is doing a great job towards promoting the
language. Years back the situation was pathetic even if
our official language was and remains to be English. I
remember my university days when other foreign students
asked us Mauritians about our official language. We had
to say it was English even if we knew the level was quite
unpromising. Today, one would be proud to hear and
speak good English. We can but say thanks to institutions
like the ESU, which leaves no stone unturned to reach its
objective, which is to create global understanding through
English. The ESU is always present when a book in English
is launched, it has many writers in English as members and
the ESU is also present at book fairs and so on, promoting
books in English. It is the sense of commitment which makes
the difference.
The recent innovative idea coming from ESU members is a
regular Scrabble competition to be held at its seat and
which will surely attract many lovers of the English
Language. Learning by playing can be said to be the
best form of teaching
To conclude, Hats off to the ESU, specially for the Public
Speaking competition finals at the MBC, on Thursday 27
march. It is an open invitation also to many other schools
to come forward and contribute towards making your
students read, write and speak good English. Lets go
faster as there is no speed limit on the way to excellence.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS 2014

(Please contact the ESU for more information)
Friday 22nd August 2014 The Annual Dinner of the
English-Speaking Union
11th September 2014 Debate involving adults
(Date to be confirmed)
17th to 21st September 2014 International Council
Meeting of the English-Speaking Union, Genoa, Italy
November / December 2014 Scrabble competition
(Date to be confirmed)

ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org

Creating global understanding through English

The English Language Day, introduced by the EnglishSpeaking Union in collaboration with the Ministry of
Education, is a welcome occasion to kick-start the
progressive habit of speaking English. Doors of success
will be opened to those who become more effective at
expressing themselves in that global language!
Members of the Executive Committee of The EnglishSpeaking Union were present at various schools for the
reading of a message prepared by the ESU on the
importance of the English language. They received a
very warm welcome from rectors, teachers & pupils.
Many schools had organized activities such as drama,
poem recitation and film watching to further promote the
English language.
Messrs A. Prem Burton, CSK and Barlen Vyapoory,
respectively President and Secretary of the EnglishSpeaking Union, and Hon. Dr Vasant Bunwaree, Minister
of Education, were present at France Boyer de la
Giroday State Secondary School on Wednesday 23rd
April 2014 to address the students on the occasion of the
English Language Day. In his speech, Hon. Dr Bunwaree
told the students that On this English Language Day, I
would wish you all, dear students, to take a pledge to strive
to achieve the goal of mastering the English language. He
added The English language is one major pathway that
will open up a whole new vista of opportunities for all of
you, young learners. The Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation was present at France Boyer de la Giroday
SSSS to report on activities organised by teachers and
students on that day to promote the English language.
Messrs Rajen Gangoosing and Ganesh Rampat
represented the ESU at Hindu Girls College whereas
Messrs Parmanand Nunkoo, OSK and Aniroodh
Ramjeeawon, PDSM, were present at Lady Sushil
Ramgoolam State Secondary School. Mr Philip Li Ching
Hum and Mr Bisnoodev Bissoonauth were present at
Muslim Girls College. Mr Rajendra Korlapu-Bungaree
and Mrs Pratima Beedasy visited Dunputh Lallah SSS. Mr
Barlen Vyapory was also present at College du St Esprit
for the reading of the English Language Day Message.
THE MESSAGE READ AT SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES:
The English Language has today assumed such an
importance in the life of peoples across the world that, in
2010, UNESCO deemed it necessary to decree April 23
every year to be celebrated as the ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DAY. The date coincides with the birthday anniversary of
William Shakespeare.
There is no denying the fact that the English Language has,
as a result of world historical events, established itself as
the most common spoken and written international
language. It is true that the most common native language
in the world is Mandarin, spoken by more than a billion
people.

The second in rank is Hindustani, spoken by nearly one

billion people. As a native language English is used by
about 300 million people mainly in the United States of
America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South
Africa and in many countries across the world. What
distinguishes English from the other major languages is
that it is the most common second language spoken in the
world. It is reckoned that around 2 billion people either
speak English as a second language or are in the process
of studying it.
Everywhere in the world, peoples and governments are
promoting the study and use of English in their respective
countries. In this context, the situation in China, for
example, compels our attention. China is geographically
the biggest country in the world. It has the largest
population. It is an emergent economy with a bright future,
likely to dominate the world. As far as the language
policy is concerned, China is investing massively in the
teaching of English to its population. Tuitions are being
conducted in stadiums like politicians haranguing the
crowd or music stars mesmerising the fans in their tens of
thousands, reminiscent of the starmania phenomenon. Yes,
there is English language mania happening today in
China.
Obviously, the Chinese have taken an intelligent decision.
They have realised that, whether you like it or not, fluency
and mastery of the English Language is a key to success in
life in this contemporary global village. They have
realised that English is the number one language of
international trade and shipping, science, information
technology, diplomacy, medicine, aviation, popular music
and literature, in fact of every piece of information and
that if their population does not master the language, it
will be to their disadvantage.
Like China, most, if not all other countries in the world are
adopting the same attitude towards English. This is
because the modern world needs a common language. A
speaker at TED, the forum where innovative ideas are
exposed, has rightly said: Mathematics is the language
of science, music is the language of emotions and English
is the language of problem-solving. The world is faced
with a number of global problems. We have to strive for
a better future where the world has a common language
to solve its common problems. That language is English.
In Mauritius, we are fortunate to use English as our official
language and medium of instruction at school. It can be
said that all educated Mauritians have a working
knowledge of English. But it must also be said that the
quality of both written and spoken English, in general, is
not up to standard. We must do like the Chinese. They are
learning to speak PERFECT ENGLISH. We would be wise
to follow suit. Let us all strive to improve our fluency in
spoken English. Today, the English Language Day, is a
fitting occasion to take a firm resolution in that direction.
Our advice to you, students, is that henceforth you should
strive to achieve your goal of being able to speak English
naturally and fluently, for your own personal benefit.

ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org

Creating global understanding through English

Mr Jean Bernard Theodorine of MCB, Mrs Marie-France

Roussety, Mr Prem Burton, Ambassador Shari Villarosa and
Dr Vinod Nundloll, President of Rotary Club Vacoas, with
the winners (F1 to F1V)

Mr Philippe Lalljee of MCB with Form

IV Winner (Rodrigues)

NATIONAL SPELLING BEE COMPETITION - MAURITIUS

Sponsored by the US Embassy, The Mauritius Commercial
Bank, The Rotary Club Vacoas, Reinsurance Solutions and
Currimjee Foundation, the Finals of the 13th edition of the
National Spelling Bee Competition were held on Thursday
29th May 2014 at the Mauritius Gymkhana Club, Vacoas.
The Spelling Bee competition, which
gathered the best spellers across the
island, is a competition where
participants are asked to spell
English words. Those who had
reached the Finals had spelt many
difficult words at the heats, earning
them a place in the Finals!
The Pronouncers for this years
competiton were Her Excellency Shari
Villarosa, Ambassador of the United
States of America and Sir Victor Glover, Kt GOSK.
Judges were Mr A. Prem Burton, CSK, President of the
ESU, H.E. Mrs Marie-France Roussety, Vice-President of
the ESU and Mrs Anne-Marie Ahkine, Executive Manager
of the ESU. Prior to the competition, Mr Prem Burton, US
Ambassador Shari Villarosa and Hon. Mookhesswur
Choonee, GOSK, Minister of Arts and Culture, addressed
the students on the importance attached to spelling.
The number of participants to our competition, this year, rose
to 542 students from 137 schools. However, a much larger
number of students were involved in this educational
programme as many schools run their own in-house
competition before selecting their best students to take part
in ESU competition. All finalists received gifts from US
Ambassador Shari Villarosa and the MCB.
Winners
received cash vouchers and corporate gifts from Mr Jean
Bernard Theodorine who represented the MCB.
Winners of this years Spelling Bee Competition were:
F1 : Veshnavi Ghoorah of Queen Elizabeth College
F2 : Michelle Wong Chap Lan of Northfields Int High School
F3 : Shachee Dhani Munbodowah of Pamplemousses SSS
F4 : Avinash Jagai of Terre Rouge SSS
A big thank you to all those who helped as Pronouncers and
judges. Our warmest appreciation goes to our Master of
Ceremony, Mr Sanjit Teelock.

Mr P. Lalljee, Mr Prem Burton, Mr O. Auguste,

Mrs Susan Falatko, Mr Lelio Roussety and Mr
Sanjit Teelock with the Winners (Rodrigues)

NATIONAL SPELLING BEE COMPETITION RODRIGUES

The Spelling Bee Competition in Rodrigues was held on
Thursday 19th June 2014 at Grande Montagne College.
This activity was once again sponsored by the Commission
for Education, the Embassy of the United States of
America and the Mauritius Commercial Bank.
US Deputy Chief of Mission, Mrs Susan Falatko, travelled
to Rodrigues to assist the ESU as Pronouncer. The second
Pronouncer was Mr Lelio Roussety, former Commissioner
for Education in Rodrigues. Judges were Mr Orlando
Auguste, representing the Commission for Education, Mr A.
Prem Burton, CSK, and Mrs Anne-Marie Ahkine.
Following the welcoming address by Mrs Laurence
Francois, Rector of Grande Montagne College, Mr Prem
Burton, Mrs Susan Falatko and Ms Rose de Lime Edouard,
Commissioner for Youth, addressed the students. In his
speech, Mr Burton took us for a trip down memory lane,
as he talked about Rodrigues as it was when he first
visited the island in 1969. He added that students of
today should deem themselves lucky that there has been
such a marked improvement in Rodrigues and that they
should use all facilities such as e-books, videos and other
technological tools to promote the quality of both their
written and spoken English.
A total of 72 students from all 6 schools in Rodrigues took
part in the competition. All participants received prizes
from the US Embassy and the Mauritius Commercial Bank.
The four winners (Form I, II, III and IV) listed below
received special prizes from Mrs Susan Falatko, generous
cash prizes and corporate gifts from Mr Philippe Lalljee,
on behalf of the Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd. ESU also
offered gifts, medals and certificates to the winners.
F1 : Luchry Usha Monica Brandooa of Le Chou College
F2 : Marie Sylvia Agnes Leratz of Terre Rouge College
F3: Anne-Marie Alexandra Augustin of Rodrigues College
F4 : Hillary Roussety of Rodrigues College
Our gratitude to the Rector and Staff of Grande
Montagne College for the warm welcome given to the
ESU. Thank you to Mr Sanjit Teelock who travelled to
Rodrigues to conduct the Spelling Bee there.

ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org

The English-Speaking Union

SUPPORT TO ENGLISH TEACHERS OFFERED BY

THE US EMBASSY
Teachers nominated by the
English-Speaking Union for
the 2013/2014 E-Teacher
Scholarship programme had
done marvellously well,
many of them having
achieved
exceptional
grades of 97 to 99%.
Every year, 26 best participants across the world are
offered the possibility of travelling to the US to take part
in the E-Teacher Professional Development Workshop
exchange programme run by the University of Oregon.
This year, Mrs Jennifer Ramdonee of College du St Esprit
scored 99% in Building Teaching Skills through the
Interactive Web (Web Skills) and was chosen on the
basis of Outstanding performance in online coursework
during the current program year and having shown
Willingness and capacity to implement long-term
projects to improve the quality of English education in
their local communities. Mrs Ramdonee will be spending
3 weeks in Oregon in October 2014, all expenses paid
by the US Embassy.
Mrs Jennifer Ramdonee said : I would like to thank the
ESU for the golden opportunity given to me. The tenweek course was memorable, so very fruitful as we got
into contact with several teachers from around the world.
There was much to do and assimilate during the course
and at times I felt that ten weeks would not be enough.
What we got from the course was really helpful and I am
sure will be put to good use now that the government is
introducing technology in our classes. I do feel very

Creating global understanding through English

THE 2014/2015 E-Teacher Programme is now open

for nomination. Teachers who have applied for the
programme should be highly motivated and dedicated
to their own professional development and to sharing
the knowledge they gain with colleagues. They have
to be committed to fulfilling all programme
requirements, which include dedicating at least 8-10
hours to course work per week.

Study of the US institute for secondary school

Educators (Administrators)
Ms Bassantee (Reshma) Koomar,
lecturer at the Mauritius Institute of
Education - the Authority responsible
for the training of teachers in
Mauritius, for both primary and
secondary schools (5 to 18 years of
age) - took part in the Study of the
US Institute for Secondary School
Educators offered by the US Embassy.
The programme ran from 4th June to 10th July 2014 in the
States. The theme of the institute was Exploring Access
and Equity in U.S. Education and Society. The Institute
included rigorous academic seminars, meetings with
regional educators and prominent community leaders, site
visits, and a study tour that visited San Francisco, Chicago,
IL and Washington, D.C. Topics covered included an
introduction to historical issues of access and equality in U.S
education; public policies to ensure access to education; the
role of school boards; special education in the U.S;
alternative
education
models;
teaching
diverse
populations; and bilingual education.

confident and well-equipped.

THANK YOU
Another participant to the E-Teacher Scholarship
Programme, Mrs Beatrice Rousseau Tout a Tout of St
Nicholas Grammar School scored 98%. She said When I
enrolled for the TESOL course, I was not really aware how it
would be. I was a bit apprehensive as it was my first time
participating in a Teachers forum. Then week after week, I
thoroughly enjoyed the online discussions. The daily
interaction with teachers from other countries was enriching.
Although, it was hard work during these ten weeks, it was
great learning from so many diverse backgrounds.
Moreover, this online course has greatly helped me into
polishing my teaching methods. A big thumb up to the UO
(University of Oregon) instructors, who were very helpful. I
would also like to thank the US Embassy and ESU for giving
me the opportunity to participate in this online course.

We are very grateful to all our members, sponsors,

donors and well-wishers who support our mission. Our
gratitude also goes to Mr Shareef Ramjan who once
again audited our accounts, free of charge.
We wish to convey our warmest thanks to members who
represented the ESU at various functions, meetings and
activities organized by Ministries and Municipalities.
Last, but certainly not least, we wish to renew our thanks
and appreciation to Mr Sanjit Teelock, for always being
present as our Master of Ceremony in such a very
efficient way.

ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org