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General Article

Digital Learning in Primary Schools: Mauritius Making Great
Strides in Early Education

Pawan Kumar Sharma
Ph.D. Student, Sam Higginbottom University, Allahabad, India,
Email: paw_kum@yahoo.com

Abstract
The landscape of teaching and learning has been evolving with the inception of
technologically advanced solutions in education. Digital tools are playing a huge role
in how to learn, teach, and share knowledge in classrooms. The adaptation of digital
learning has become an integral part of modern education. The study aims to analyze
the various initiatives undertaken by the Republic of Mauritius to encourage digital
learning in primary education in the last 10 years. Policy documents and research
papers concerning digital technology have been examined under the literature review
to set the context. The Ministry of Education (MoE), through the latest reforms of “Nine
Year Continuous Basic Education (NYCBE) Programme emphasises the importance of
technology. Early digital learning is considered as a key focus area in transforming
the country to future growth and development. Digital Education is encouraging the
Mauritians to raise their standards and be on par with the developed countries. The
success of these national initiatives in light of primary educational reform policy will
encourage other mainland African countries to implement similar projects customized
to their requirements.
Keywords: Early Digital Learning, ICT Integration, Technology enhanced Primary
Education, Teaching and learning in Mauritius.
Introduction between 5 to 16 years.

“Education is the most powerful weapon Digital learning in education generally
which you can use to change the world means technology-based teaching and
“- Nelson Mandela learning tools in schools. Technology
plays an integral role in every aspect
The Republic of Mauritius is a beautiful
small island nation in Indian Ocean. The of our lives, changing how we access
people of Mauritius are highly diverse education, how we work, and how we
in ethnicity, culture and faith due to engage in everyday transactions (World
historical connection from Asia, Africa Bank, 2020). Moreover, the application
and Europe. The country is categorized of technologies in modern education is
as "High" in the Human Development playing a crucial role to support teachers
Index and more than 90 percent of the and students in innovative forms of
population is literate. Mauritius provides learning. In particular, ICT (Information
11 years of free compulsory schooling and Communication Technology)
with open access for all children aged can enrich and transform education

290 Indian Journal of Educational Technology
Volume 3, Issue 2, July 2021