In Mauritius, education is mandatory for students up to the age of 16. After the independence of Mauritius, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam promoted free education and thus allowed everyone to have equal right to education and now schooling is compulsory up to the age of 16. Public schools (referred to as Government schools in Mauritius) follow the British system of education, while private primary and secondary schools tend to follow the International Baccalaureate programme or the French Education System.
The schooling system in Mauritius is divided into four main sectors – pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary.
Uniforms are usually mandatory in all schools, except in French schools.
The O levels (the Cambridge School Certificate) and the A levels (Higher School Certificate ‘ the equivalent of the International Baccalaureate) are important examinations that then allow students to move on to higher educational institutions, as well as English-speaking universities in Mauritius. Studies in English are preferred, as it broadens the scope of the tertiary education by providing opportunities to go abroad or to do online degrees from affiliated universities.
The school system in Mauritius is heavily based on the British schooling system, and thus the standard of education is quite high and challenging. As of 2017, the pass rate under the British system (HSC Exams) was 75.46%.
Scholarships for undergraduate studies are offered to the best students with the best grades from the government, in allocated fields (science, languages, technology, economics). Scholarships are available to those wishing to study in Mauritius but also abroad, such as the COMESA Media Journalism Award, World Bank Group Africa Fellowship Program, and the SBM Undergraduate Scholarship.
English is the official language of Mauritius, and therefore most courses are in English as from the primary level, meaning that most Mauritian students are at the very least bilingual by secondary school.
Children of expatriates who are enrolled in the Mauritian education system usually benefit from refresher courses that are provided by the school, or they have the option of taking private tuition. International schools are privately operated, and entry is subject to registration and tuition fees, which tend to be high.
International schools can be the perfect solution for an expat student (multinational corporation executives, children of diplomats, NGO staff) in Mauritius. International schools provide similar standards of schooling around the globe, allowing for an easy transition between schools whether they are in France or Vietnam.
There is usually a strong local population, as well as an international student body. Schools may follow a curriculum model from the US, UK, France, etc. Primary instruction may be any language (and multiple languages are usually taught), but it is usually in English. Schools also provide internationally accepted accreditation such as the international baccalaureate.
Admission and enrollment procedures vary from school to school. Space is often limited and preference may be given to students based on nationality. Tuition tends to be expensive based on local standards, but offers high standards of learning, boast smaller class sizes, first-rate facilities, and extracurricular. Boarding facilities are available at some schools, but most only provide day classes.
Part of Bolt Home Mauritius’ service to you is to help you and inform you of the options available according to your requirements, contact our friendly concierge service and enquire about how we can assist you with setting up the perfect education foundation for your children. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
