Can History Classes Fix Mauritius's Citizenship Crisis?

Mauritius is facing a quiet but serious challenge: its citizens — particularly younger generations — are increasingly disengaged from democratic life. Voter apathy, weak civic identity, and a fragmented sense of national belonging are symptoms that researchers say are linked, at least in part, to how citizenship education is delivered in schools. A new academic analysis published in the Mauritius Times, co-authored by Sheetal Sheena Sookrajowa of the University of Mauritius and Marie Sophie Caroline Lafleur-Yallappa and Ellen Vea Rosnes of VID Specialized University in Norway, argues that the country needs to urgently revitalise its approach to citizenship education — and that history teaching is a powerful, underused tool to do it. **Why citizenship education matters** Democracy does not sustain itself automatically. It depends on citizens who understand how institutions work, who feel a stake in public life, and who are willing to participate — in elections, in community decisions, and in civic debate. When that participation weakens, democratic outcomes suffer. Mauritius, a multi-ethnic, multi-religious island nation that has maintained a functioning parliamentary democracy since independence in 1968, is not immune to these pressures. Like many countries, it must continually invest in the civic formation of its people. **History as a civic tool** The researchers' core argument is that history education — when taught well — does more than relay facts about the past. It helps students understand how their society was shaped, who was included or excluded, and how power has been exercised and contested over time. In a country like Mauritius, with its layered history of colonialism, indentured labour, slavery, and post-independence nation-building across dozens of ethnic and cultural communities, history classes carry particular weight. Teaching that history honestly and inclusively can build empathy, critical thinking, and a shared sense of belonging — all essential ingredients for active citizenship. The concern, implicit in the analysis, is that if history is taught narrowly — focused on memorisation, or shaped to avoid difficult national conversations — it fails to build these civic capacities. **What this means for Mauritius** For parents, teachers, and policymakers, this research raises practical questions: Are Mauritian school curricula designed to produce informed, engaged citizens? Do students leave school understanding the institutions that govern them — the National Assembly, the Electoral Commission, the judiciary? Do they understand their rights and responsibilities? The authors suggest that aligning history teaching more explicitly with citizenship goals is not just an academic exercise — it is a democratic necessity. This would likely require curriculum reform, teacher training, and a willingness to engage with the full complexity of Mauritius's past. The collaboration between a Mauritian university and a Norwegian institution also signals growing international academic interest in how small island states navigate identity, diversity, and democratic education. Source: Mauritius Times