The Mauritius School for the Blind is primarily funded through government support. Therefore, it is currently a requirement of the School to adhere to the same curricula as used in all primary schools in Mauritius. This research highlights the necessity for a curriculum that can be specifically designed to meet the needs of visually impaired children. The objectives of the study were; to conduct an evaluation to determine the visually impaired children’s educational goals; to establish the key orientation, mobility and independence skills required by children and young people at the School who are visually impaired; to identify ways in which the skills development programme can be implemented within, and beyond, the School’s curriculum; to propose a set of self-help skills training processes that can form part of the current curriculum to enable visually impaired children at the School for the Blind to become more independent. A triangulation research methodology constituting both qualitative and quantitative research was used. The participants consisted of 12 visually impaired children, the Head of the School, three NGO staff members and six teachers. Thematic analysis led to themes and categories emerging in the arena of self-help skills development. Independence and self-help skills were the main themes determined through data analysis. The secondary themes which emerged from the main ones consisted of social skills, travel skills, daily living skills and education. Sub-themes derived from social skills were cultural differences and its associated feeling of discrimination. Sub-themes under travel skills included independent travel and assistance. Finally, education comprised of sub-themes such as a special programme on self-help skills and training for teachers. The above analysis stressed the need to set up a committee in order to start developing a curriculum in the arena of self-help skills. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Round Island is a small (208 ha) islet of volcanic origin located 22.5 km north east of mainland Mauritius and has been classified as a nature reserve since 1957. Two sites were chosen for the installation of environmental monitoring equipment. A series of Gerlach troughs were installed to capture surface sediment transported by runoff, which were used to document sediment yields and determine the particle size distribution. Overall, rainfall and erosivity on Round Island is far less, when compared to mainland Mauritius. However, erosivity from Round Island (2,314.76 MJ.mm.ha-1.h-1.yr-1) is slightly above the global average of 2,190 MJ.mm.ha-1.h-1.yr-1. In terms of sediment transport, the annual sediment movement rates for Round Island were established during this study (0.1248 t.ha-1.yr-1) and were found to be considerably lower than Mauritius (10 t.ha-1.yr-1), as well as other tropical island such as Kauai (0.86 t.ha-1.yr-1) and O’ahu (0.6 t.ha-1.yr-1). Thus, although the estimated rates of soil erosion are very low for humid tropical regions, these rates only reflect the contemporary environmental conditions and cognisance of the landscape history should be incorporated into assessments of soil erosion / Geography / M. Sc. (Geography)

One of the major challenges associated with nursing education in this 21st century is the practice preparation of student nurses in this complex healthcare environment to ensure their fitness to practice. Practice training relies largely on mentoring which is central to the professional development of student nurses. In the local context of Mauritius, the clinical mentoring of students is service-led rather than education-driven. In the context of the current debate, it is becoming evident that the clinical mentoring system in Mauritius needs rethinking in order to respond to the emerging training and education needs of nurses. The aim of the study was to develop a contextually relevant clinical mentoring framework for student nurses in Mauritius in order to enhance the standard of student nurses’ training during clinical placements. A descriptive exploratory sequential mixed method with a cross-sectional design was used in this study. The sample for the qualitative phase consisted of eight nurses, while there were 255 nurses and 115 students in the quantitative phase. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and a self-administered questionnaire, respectively. The findings were synthesised using Dickoff et al’s (1968) survey list to develop the clinical mentoring framework for student nurses. The findings of the qualitative phase indicated that the current learning support system for students in the clinical settings did not reflect what mentoring should be about. Mentoring per se was not practiced, but rather a form of clinical accompaniment resulting in the practice being less effective for its purpose. A variety of activities/roles were described that nurses fulfil in everyday clinical practice that included some aspects of a mentoring approach. Participants provided a number of pre-requisites needed for the mentoring process. The results of the quantitative phase revealed that both students and nurses recognised that the mentoring system was informal. They also shared the same views regarding barriers to mentoring, such as staff shortage, lack of resources, and inadequate support from management and the Central School of Nursing (CSN). Along with mentoring competencies, teaching, assessing, communication, managerial and leadership skills, were identified as core competencies for mentors. Effective clinical mentoring requires an understanding of the mentoring process from a broader perspective. Mentors should be equipped with core competencies. Successful mentoring outcomes are dependent on a conducive clinical learning environment (CLE) and the approach used to mentor. The framework on mentoring could guide and provide a holistic approach to mentoring students in CLEs. However, emphasis must be placed on the collaboration between the management, the clinical setting and the CSN. The clinical framework developed from this study can be tested for its effectiveness. / Health Studies / Ph. D. (Nursing)

As a teacher-researcher, I have endeavoured to evaluate and reflect on the teaching of Islamic Studies at Form V level. This Action Research investigated the effectiveness of using Remedial Strategies as instructional methods to increase class participation in Islamic Studies classes at Form V level, in a Private Secondary School, The Islamic Cultural College, Port-Louis; in a State Secondary School, Port-Louis State Secondary School, Colline Monneron, Port-Louis; and in a Profit-Making Institution, The Doha Academy, Eau-Coulee, Curepipe. Data was collected mainly from questionnaires sent to the students and analyzed. The study also covers the findings and analysis from the questionnaires and some recommendations to improve classroom practices to promote students’ participation in Islamic Studies classes have been proposed. Overall, this research aims at contributing to an enhanced learning experience for the students of Islamic Studies and for me as a teacher-practitioner. The Remedial Strategies imply a shift of onus from the teacher to the student. This transfer is what is envisaged most by all contemporary thinkers in education because this is what guarantees concrete and productive learning in the classroom. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M. A. (Islamic Studies)

<p>Trafik utgör en stor föroreningskälla av tungmetaller i vägnära jordar och särskilt är det koppar (Cu), bly (Pb) och zink (Zn) som associeras med fordonstrafik. I ett historiskt perspektiv härrör blyutsläpp främst från bränsleförbränning, medan kopparemissioner (i första hand från slitage av bromsbelägg) och zinkutsläpp (från däck) från trafik står för så mycket som hälften av det urbana utsläppet av koppar och zink till omgivningen.</p><p>Koppar-, bly- och zinkkoncentrationer i vägnära jord och sediment undersöktes inom avrinningsområdet för Grand River North West i Mauritius. Eftersom totalmetall utgör en dålig indikator på den mängd metall som finns potentiellt tillgänglig för biota användes extraktion med hjälp av 0.5 M HCl tillsammans med totalkoncentrationer.</p><p>Den rumsliga variationen längsmed transekt vinkelrätt mot vägar undersöktes liksom variationen med djupet. Observerade kopparkoncentrationer var jämförbara med bakgrundsnivåer. Till skillnad från Cu var koncentrationer av Pb och Zn förhöjda i den omedelbara närheten till vägar med relativt stor trafikintensitet, men halterna minskade snabbt med avståndet. Resultat från platserna för jordreferenser visar på storskalig förorening av Pb på ön. Uppmätta kopparkoncentrationer kunde inte knytas till trafikens påverkan.</p><p>Vid regn kan metaller som finns i förorenat vägdamm och förorenad jord övergå till löslig form, eller sköljas bort i partikulär form, och transporteras till närliggande vattendrag. I Mauritius är det här av speciell vikt eftersom flodsediment till slut kommer att deponeras i de känsliga kustområdena som omger ön. Dock tyder inte resultaten på förhöjda metallhalter i sediment nära de studerade vägarna.</p><p>Även om erhållna resultat av Cu inte visar på någon förhöjning och zonen med hög förorening av Pb och Zn är relativt smal, är det angeläget att följa utvecklingen eftersom antalet fordon växer snabbt i Mauritius, vilket kan förändra dagens situation och ge upphov till större miljöpåverkan. För att undvika eventuella ekologiska skador är det därför av stor vikt att i fortsättningen övervaka situationen längs landets vägar.</p> / <p>Traffic has been identified as a significant heavy metal polluter of roadside soils, and copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in particular are associated with road travel. In a historic perspective, the Pb contribution from anthropogenic sources to nature has predominantly been a result of fuel combustion. There are indications that Cu (mainly through braking system) and Zn (emissions from tires) released from traffic give rise to as much as half of the total urban contribution of copper and zinc to the environment.</p><p>Concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn in roadside soils and sediment have been determined at selected roads within the Grand River North West watershed in Mauritius. As total metal concentrations are not a suitable indicator of the metal concentrations that are potentially available to biota, metals extractable in 0.5 M HCl have been determined along with total concentrations. The spatial variation in metal concentration along soil transects perpendicular to roads were investigated, as was the variation with depth.</p><p>Observed Pb and Zn concentrations exhibited elevated levels in topsoil in the immediate vicinity of roads with relatively large traffic densities, but the decrease in concentration with distance was rapid. Results from soil reference sites pointed to a large scale Pb pollution on the island. In comparison, observed Cu concentrations could not be assigned any influence from traffic at the selected study sites.</p><p>In the event of rain, metals contained in polluted road dust and soil may be released into soluble form, or flushed from roadways as particulate matter, and transported to nearby water courses. In Mauritius, this is of particular importance as sediment in rivers eventually may be deposited in the sensitive coastal areas of the island. However, results do not indicate that there were any elevated levels of heavy metals in sediment close to roads that were investigated in this study.</p><p>Although Cu concentrations in roadside soils did not show any enrichment and the zone of elevated Pb and Zn concentrations was not wide, there is a concern that the continuing rapid increase in the number of vehicles in Mauritius will change the situation, possibly resulting in greater impact on the surrounding environment. Hence, in order to avoid any ecological damage, it is desirable to continue monitoring the situation along highways in the country.</p>

Cette thèse porte sur la littérature mauricienne (contes et nouvelles) d'expression française dès son début jusqu’à l'indépendance. L'île Maurice a connu une double colonisation importante : la colonisation française de 1715 à 1810 et la colonisation britannique de 1810 à 1968. Ces bouleversements politiques, en particulier, la reprise de l'île par les Anglais, ont donné un essor à la littérature mauricienne. Cependant, de nos jours, cette littérature est souvent oubliée ou perçue comme une suite d'imitation. En effet, à l'époque, les écrivains puisaient souvent leurs idées des oeuvres et des mouvements littéraires européens. Toutefois, vers les années 1940, une innovation est notée dans l'écriture et la thématique des oeuvres mauriciennes. Notre étude examine ainsi l'évolution dans les nouvelles et contes mauriciens, car l'invention y est. / This thesis analyses short stories of Mauritius in the French language during the colonial period. In fact, Mauritius has been colonised by the French from 1715 till 1810, and by the British from 1810 till 1968, in which year it gained its independence. These political upheavals had an impact on the literary works of that time, works which are nowadays forgotten and have often been accused of being a literature of imitation. However, in the 1940s, innovative ideas started to crop up and changes in the writings and themes are observed. This study therefore illustrates the evolution and invention in Mauritian writings especially in its short stories.

The investment treaty network and the tax treaty network comprise more than 3,000 treaties each. The provisions of these treaties generally are highly customized on the basis of the investment flows and economic interests of the contracting States. The number of treaties in force and their customization potentially turn the amendment of these treaty networks in their entirety into a cumbersome and long process. To modify the treaty networks in a swift and coordinated manner, the investment treaty makers and the tax treaty makers almost contemporaneously developed the idea of implementing treaty changes through a single multilateral convention. On 10 December 2014, the United Nations adopted the Convention on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor' State Arbitration, also known as the Mauritius Convention. In addition, on 24 November 2016, the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), commonly referred to as the Multilateral Tax Instrument, was concluded under the aegis of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The Mauritius Convention and the Multilateral Tax Instrument share the object and purpose of modifying an extensive number of treaties. However, due to their novelty, little research has been done until now on their common characteristics and differences. The article aims at filling this gap by comparing both multilateral conventions. It also aims at drawing lessons from the analysis of both multilateral conventions that might be of benefit for future modifications of an extensive number of treaties through a single instrument.

La détresse émotionnelle est souvent précurseur au développement des troubles psychologiques. La psychopathologie la plus fréquente dans le monde est la dépression et il a été estimé que d'ici quelques années, son impact économique sera supérieur à celle des maladies courantes telles que les maladies infectieuses et cardio-vasculaires. Des études ont démontré que le niveau de stress et d'anxiété sont des facteurs qui contribuent de façon significative au développement de la dépression et ce dès l'adolescence. L'objectif de cette thèse a été donc d'étudier les propriétés psychométriques de la version française de l'échelle Depression Anxiety Stress (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) pour son utilisation éventuelle à l'Île Maurice auprès des adolescents. L'étude de la validité de l'instrument comporte l'exploration de la validité de construit par le biais de la validité factorielle, l'étude de la cohérence interne et enfin par une analyse des validités convergente et divergente. La validité de construit de la DASS-21 a été renforcée puisque le fonctionnement différentiel des items en fonction du genre n'a pas été démontré. Enfin, il s'est avéré que le principal facteur de risque pour la survenue de la dépression chez les sujets mauriciens est le stress perçu (perception subjective de l'événement qualifié de stressant). / Depression is among the most common psychopathology for which treatment is sought in psychological and psychiatric practices and its impact at all levels including its economical outlay in the coming years has been estimated on a worldwide scale to surpass that of current illnesses such as infectious diseases and cardiovascular illnesses. Research has demonstrated that stress and anxiety levels, as early as in adolescence, are among factors that contribute to the development of depression. The aim of this research study is therefore to investigate the psychometric properties of the French Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) for its eventual use in the Mauritian adolescent population as a means to screen for depression, anxiety, and stress. Factor analyses were conducted on 1002 response sets and the three-factor structure of the DASS-21 was supported. Internal consistency was satisfactory and the scales demonstrated concurrent validity with other measures of depression, anxiety and stress. The construct validity of the scales was further strengthened with gender invariance. Finally, appraisal of stress was the psychological dimension which predicted best depression in the Mauritian adolescent population.

No description available.

No description available.