Studying in Mauritius has been made free by the government, from the primary to the secondary as well as the post-secondary levels. Studies in Mauritius is a must for children aged between 5 to 12 years. Mauritius, a former British colony provides education that is based mainly on the British education system. The country has always given priority to its system of education and is considered to possess the highest literacy rate among all the countries of sub-Saharan Africa.
Education is also considered as the foundation of the economical development of the country and the government has taken up several steps in improving the system of studying in Mauritius. There are numerous government as well as private schools, universities and other educational institutions in the country. In order to take care of the 900 private schools in the country, the government has established an independent unit in the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs.
The primary language of education in Mauritius is English, which is used from the 4th standard onwards. Bhojpuri and Creole are the two languages that are used in Mauritius education till the 3rd standard.
The education system of Mauritius can be classified as the following:
- Primary Education in Mauritius: Primary education in Mauritius is offered to the students who are studying in standard 1 to standard 6. According to the survey made in 1990 there are 283 schools in Mauritius providing high quality education guided by a group 6507 qualified teachers. As per the 1990 statistics, there are 137,491 students in Mauritius who are studying under the primary education system. In all the stages of primary education, students have to clear a standardized examination in order to continue with their studies. Almost 50-60% of the students studying in Mauritius successfully clear the primary education.
- Secondary Education in Mauritius: Various private as well as government institutions offer secondary education in Mauritius. After completing the primary education, students are automatically admitted to the secondary level of education, with the latter continuing for the next five years. The successful completion of the Cambridge School Certificate Examinations marks the end of secondary education in Mauritius.
- Tertiary Education in Mauritius: The Tertiary Education sector includes studying at the colleges, universities and other technical institutions in Mauritius. One of the prime institutions for studying at Mauritius is the University of Mauritius. 1190 students have enrolled at the University of Mauritius in the year 1991. Mauritius Institute of Education provides special teaching course for the teachers. Other famous institutes include the Mahatma Gandhi Institute and the Mauritius College of the Air.
Presently the government is taking special care to established the pre-school education system in Mauritius. More and more participation of women in the work front has given rise to an increase in the number pre-primary schools in Mauritius to take care of the children and to develop fundamental social and mental skills. According to the statistics of 1991, almost 1190 students pursue the vocational courses at Mauritius. There are eleven centers that are actively engaged in instructing students at the vocational courses. Recently the government has focused on increasing the number of foreign students studying in Mauritius.
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