[lg policy] St. Martin: Mussington presents new language policy to Council

[Harold Schiffman]

Mussington presents new language policy to Council

Written by  Shujah REIPH 28 October 2011 Published in Island News



Marigot, St. Martin - Territorial Councilor Louis "Loulou" Mussington
presented a new proposal of a language policy to the Territorial
Council (COM) on Thursday, October 27, 2011.  The proposed language
policy is to implement French and English as languages of instruction
in the school system in the territory.

"This is the first step towards real change in our educational system.
Until now the system only uses French as the language of instruction
in all of the schools among our historically English-speaking native
population. Resulting in a significant high drop-out rate among our
children, and seriously affecting our boys," said Mussington.

"The organic law under which the new Collectivity is governed since
2007, allows us to adopt a bilingual educational system, but nobody in
our local government worked at it consistently between 2007 and 2010."
  Mussington an educator who has chaired the commission on education
since December 10, 2010, said that, "My objective has always been for
our commission to present a draft proposal to the council by October
2011."

Also addressing the council on Thursday evening was Jean Claude
Helissey an educator and member of the commission. "We have to be
ready to make proposals to the government of France, and not wait for
them to make decisions for us," said Helissey a St. Martin native who
is head of a bilingual program at a Guadeloupe base high school. The
eight-member commission is made up of COM councilors and educators,
like Jean Claude Helissey, Dominique Louisy, Alex Richards, Lenny
Mussington, Aline Choisy, Corine Brookson, Sylviane Judith and Carene
Mills.

"I want to thank all members of the commission for their hard work and
dedication to this St. Martin specificity that will open new
opportunities and increase successes for more of our people," said
Mussington. He emphasized that, "too much time was wasted over the
five years while our children continue to drop out of school at an
alarming rate."

"Studies all over the world and right here on our island continue to
show the rate of success in our schools is directly related to mother
tongue as language of instruction," said the councilor. The new
educational system will reflect the cultural reality of St. Martin,
said Mussington, who is also a strong advocate for bilingual
education. "It is possible through the organic law, but we need to
push forward a new agreement with the government of France."

Loulou Mussington is president of the Movement for the Advancement of
the People (MAP), an opposition coalition member in the Legislative
Council. He also added that both languages should be given equal
status in the educational system, thus paving the way for a better
quality school program.

http://www.sxmislandtime.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=16155:mussington-presents-new-language-policy-to-council

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