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The MoE started embedding technology Isaacs, 2007). MOE made sustained
in the education system by equipping efforts to improve the ICT infrastructure
the schools with IT facilities and digital in primary schools from 2008 onwards.
learning pedagogy in 2000. The wave All primary schools had an ICT room
of change began in 2002 with the with at least 10 computers, 2 printers
recruitment and training of 220 ICT and 1 scanner. Training sessions of
educators in primary education. By the educators have been carried out to
2003, ICT had been integrated as a equip them to teach and make full use
subject in the primary curriculum. The of the ICT. There were approximately
aim was to expose the young learners to 4,300 computers in all primary schools
modern technology and train educators (Education Reforms in Action, 2013).
to use digital tools in the classroom. The capacities of the ICT rooms were
gradually increased in highly populated
1. Computer Laboratory schools (Fig-1). The labs were also
provided with internet facilities. Total
The emphasis on integration of ICT in
primary education of Mauritius dates of 22 primary school students were
back to 2006. National ICT Strategic accessing one computer (Statistics
Plan 2006 of GoM stated that IT would Mauritius, 2017). This makes ICT
be taught in schools as a subject and penetration for pupils approximately
integrated into teaching across the 4.5 percent.
curriculum in primary schools (Shafika
Fig-1: Computer Lab
Source: MoE, 2016
2. Sankore Project in Africa through the provision of
digital classroom equipment and
MoE introduced the Sankore project in
2011. The project was a spinoff of the digital resources to schools (Oojorah,
Franco-British summit. The leaders 2011). Subsequently, Mauritius was
of France and the United Kingdom chosen as the platform for the Franco-
then decided to promote education African countries with an objective to
292 Indian Journal of Educational Technology
Volume 3, Issue 2, July 2021