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(d) Building capacity at school level through the right kind of human
resource
The ZEP project strategy document advocates that the ZEP initiative depends heavily
on the commitment of human resource as its critical success factor. Indeed, at each
corner stone of the improvement efforts, there lies a strong dependency of the project
on human capital. From the government side, the institution of the ZEP Unit and its
offi cers monitor the implementation of the ZEP project and help coordinate actions to
inform policy at the level of the ZEP Council. At the level of the school, a plethora of
professionals team up to deliver services to help broaden the circle of opportunities
of the pupils. Hence servicing the cause of the project, the following professionals
team up around the head teacher: the school psychologist, the social worker, the
medical practionners, the school inspector, offi cers of the ZEP Unit, the private
sector representative, the parents and the class teacher. Each of these professionals
delivers along a chain service where each link is vital to the success of the initiative.
However, the strongest link remain the class teachers who are at the fore front caring,
protecting and helping the pupil to make the right meaning of his/her world.
2.4 Outlook of the ZEP project in Mauritius:
what it wants to achieve.
The prime objective of the ZEP project was to invest more resources at the level of
the underachieving schools so that the children found there are given a better chance
to perform in the examinations. Besides aiming at increasing the pass rate of these
schools at the Certifi cate of Primary Examinations (CPE) and achieving universal
primary education, the ZEP has structured itself to fulfi l other objectives which are
here explained.
(a) Eliminating inequalities in the primary education sub sector
The philosophy of the ‘Zones d’Education Prioritaires’ (ZEP) is based on the premise
that positive reinforcement is required to create favourable learning conditions for
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