Daily exposure to Diversity

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Regarding the courses that the teacher-trainees are enrolled in or have completed at the M.I.E, the majority of PTT (66%) study in the Teacher‟s Certificate in Holistic Education Program. And 34% of PTT are studying Teacher‟s Diploma-Primary. Whereas 46% of STT are attending the Holistic Education Program 30% are enrolled for the BEd program and 24% are attending the PGCE program.

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This section of the questionnaire has tried to understand how teachers are positioned to promote the essence of Intercultural Education in schools due to their daily cultural encounters.

Figure 13 indicates that the majority of PTT(80%) prefers to live in an area with mix ethnic, religious and cultural group. 16% of PTT prefers area with mostly same ethnic and religious group and only 4% opted for area dominated with my ethnic and religious group only.

The majority of STT prefers to live in area with mix ethnic, religious and cultural group.

However, 26% want to live in area which is dominated by their ethnic and religious group and 22% chose areas with mostly same ethnic and religious group.

Figure 13: PTT and STT Neighborhood

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The teacher-trainees did not speak with one voice regarding their level of trust in their neighborhoods. Figure 14 shows that both majority PTT (66%) and STT (62%) opted moderately when they were asked to what extent they trust their neighborhood. Mauritius faces social problems including robbery and cases of violence. This may be a reason the participants have only moderate trust in their neighborhood, though26 % (PTT) and 16% (STT) said they trust their neighborhood very well.

Figure 14: PTT and STT Trust in neighborhood

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Figure 15 below shows that both PTT(56%) and STT (72%) have a strong sense of belonging to their community and the society. 20% of PTT opted for the society (whole nation) only. 18% of PTT feel closer to their community (neighborhood) and 6% chose none of the above 18% of STT feel close to their community while 8% chose the whole nation. And 2 % of STT chose none of the above

Figure 15: PTT and STT Sense of Belonging

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Table 18: Opinion on Culture

The respondents were asked to rate the statements shown in Table 18. 48% of PTT and 48% STT strongly agreed to the following statement: „enjoyed interacting with people from different cultures‟. Furthermore, 96% of STT and 74 % of PTT strongly agree with „respect the values of people from different cultures.‟ Their answers reflect their positive relationship with other cultures in Mauritius. That is why they both strongly disagree (PTT 38%) and disagree (STT 52%) that people from other culture are narrow-minded. A strong majority of PTT (66%)

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and STT 88% strongly disagreed to the statement: „I don‟t like to be with people of different culture‟. However, there was a minority of 6% PTT who strongly agreed.

The participants were also asked about their daily intercultural encounters (Table 19).

Multiple answers were provided by the participants. Majority of PTT (33.1%) and STT(34.1%) answered through friendship with other cultures. 25.6 % of PTT and 31.7% of STT experience interculturalism through their daily cuisine. Exposure through multilingualism is another way through which the participants are influenced by other cultures (PTT 20.7% and STT 17.5%).

Mauritius being a multicultural society, dressing up in the styles of other cultures is also a way to experience others culture (33.1% PTT and 34.1% STT). 1.7% of PTT answered none of the above.

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Table 19: PTT and STT Intercultural Interaction

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Table 20: PTT and STT interaction

To extend the research, the respondents were further asked where do you interact with other culture, ethnic or religious groups. The answers indicated that the majority of PTT (44.2%) and STT (39.6%) encounter other cultures at their workplace. The facts that this question was targeting multiple answers, the answers of the respondents were also divided between cultural interaction in the neighbourhood and social activity. But in general, the answers reflected a very high level of interaction with other cultures

In Table 21, both PTT (50.0%) and STT (66%) believed that the most important factor to enhance social cohesion is to create a sense of belonging and to promote trust among the members of the society. 34% of PTT and 16 % of STT felt that working toward the well-being of all members of the society will foster social cohesion.

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Table 21: Factors to enhance social cohesion

The research attempts (Table 21) to discover if the respondents think there is any kind of tension in Mauritius. Multiple questions were expected. The majority believed that there are tensions between different religious groups (PTT 54% and STT 84%). It is important to note that religion is the main marker of ethnicity in Mauritius; therefore, these answers are quite relevant

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to the Mauritian context. The research continues with measuring the reactions of the respondents to this question; 52% of PTT and 54% of STT believed that there is ethnic tension while a majority of 66% of STT believed there are cultural tensions. Only a small minority of 28% of PTT believed there are cultural tensions.

Table 22: PTT and STT Tensions in Mauritius

Table 23: PTT and STT conflicts in Mauritius

Table 23 above affirms that the majority of PTT (50%) and STT (64%) believe that Mauritius has witnessed religious conflicts. And 38% of PTT and 46% of STT believed that

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ethnic conflicts took place in Mauritius. Cultural conflicts also arise according to 50% of STT and 38% of PTT.

The first section of this questionnaire has pointed out that the majority of PTT and STT share similar points of view for most of the questions. Furthermore, there is a general feeling among the participants in this study that they have positive cultural encounters in their daily life.

Conflicts relationships between other cultural groups are minimal. The teacher-trainees as citizens of Mauritius partake positive relation with other members of the society. During the survey sessions, the majority of the participants revealed that the Mauritian Kreol, the mother tongue of the majority of the Mauritian, is the key unifying factor in the Mauritian cultural setting. The teachers‟ daily cultural encounters have indicated crucial information on their beliefs, encounters, trust, and relationships with other communities. There is a general agreement among most of the participants that diversity is an integral part of their daily life but at the same time they are also aware that the Mauritian society needs to ensure positive social inclusion.