English medium private school in Mauritius

coolinny Active member

58POSTS

4 years ago

I know that there are frequent questions posts about English-speaking private schools in Mauritius.

And the most recommended schools are Le bocage, West coast, and Northfield.

My kids currently attend one of these three - I won't reveal the name of the school as I don't want to criticize it.

I will share my experience in case it will be helpful to anyone who has to choose a school in Mauritius.

1. It's good to ask the parents of the school about the culture and atmosphere of the school in advance. 200%

: For example, each school has a very different culture depending on the racial makeup.

In my case, my kids' homeroom teacher stumbled across the Mall after class, and I thought she was upset about something because she wasn't very nice to us.- in fact- She's a nice person.

2. You need to make sure that what you expect from the school is what the school is aiming for.

: What surprised me was that many schools in Mauritius end their classes end up only at 2 pm. There weren't many activities after class.

At first, I was hesitant to pay the tuition I paid for my children.

There are no Montessori or Waldorf schools in Mauritius yet.- My wife is a Montessori teacher from SA

So, you have to choose whether you want to focus on your children's studies or let them have fun, but you have to decide on this clearly.

3. There is a traffic jam around almost every school. You can't ignore this. I even waited in line for an hour. If possible, a school close to home is a good school.

4. Most schools in Mauritius do not disclose the background and educational background of their teachers. Therefore, parents cannot check the quality of teachers, and the quality of teachers varies from school to school. very different

5. Even if it is a school that uses English as a medium, you should definitely visit and talk with the staff and teachers.

In my case, there are difficulties at school because non-teachers do not speak English well. In Mauritius, one of the schools that is often called the Big 3 has teachers who do not speak English, so communication is difficult at parent meetings. You must remember The official language in this country is Creole, not English.

6. I can't rate all schools as I haven't experienced them all. But I am currently having one of the big three, and I myself have visited several schools as a visual art teacher.

I hope my experience was helpful to you.

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coolinny Active member

58POSTS

4 years ago

One more thing, I have no intention of criticizing the school my children attend. However, I miss the life in South Africa where I greeted and hugged the classroom teachers and other parents I met after class.

coolinny Active member

58POSTS

4 years ago

Several people have sent me direct messages, and I am giving the same reply. Visit as many schools as you can and experience the culture. Mauritius has a very closed culture that is family-oriented. Mauritians' answers aren't as honest as westerner's - I'm not saying Mauritians are liars. So when you ask Mauritians about schools, they say, 'It's a really good school'. But all Mauritians know. that 'it is not' School Buses run by most schools are very poor. In particular, the driver's driving habits seem dangerous. Foreigners should be aware that they pay 200% more tuition than locals in Mauritius - not all schools do. If you are a Christian, a school for Christians may be a good option. In Mauritius, the options for what children can learn outside of school are very limited. For example, physical education, music, art, etc. must be done at school, but there is not much the school can do for this either.

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coolinny Active member

58POSTS

4 years ago

If you live and drive in Mauritius, you may be wondering why there are so many 'tutorials' and 'tuition' advertisements on the walls of the street. But when you meet the teacher, you will find out. Your child's science teacher may know less science than you, the art teacher, and sometimes may not know more than the children. If your child's English teacher can't write an English essay better than you, what should we do? Yes! You will need to find a tutor.

coolinny Active member

58POSTS

4 years ago

Please do not misunderstand me as a typical Asian parent who values academic ability. I am an art teacher and my wife is a Montessori teacher. We want to give our children a more comfortable, free and confident education. But even the largest and wealthiest schools in the country have a shortage of art teachers, so they teach seasonally (e.g. art in the spring, music in the fall).

coolinny Active member

58POSTS

4 years ago

Moreover, I am not trying to ignore the teaching abilities of local teachers in this country. Rather, it is the opposite. A month ago, I received an email from my child's Western (I won't reveal his country of origin) teacher for the entire class. - Full of grammatical errors - 'He's white and his native language is English' However I'm pretty sure he didn't graduate from college!

coolinny Active member

58POSTS

4 years ago

Probably no one has visited this country's schools more than me. This is for sure. The situation in public schools in this country is even worse. -The biggest problem is bullying. There is a high probability that foreign students are bullied - so I chose a private school for my children, and I believe you will too. My simple advice is if you live in the West, Westcoat! if you live in the North then Northfield or IPS, but small schools are fine. Please do not misunderstand my intentions. Overall, I am satisfied with life in Mauritius, and I am also satisfied with my children's school. - Excluding tuition only!

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lisabentley1981 Member

18POSTS

4 years ago

Thank you Coolinny

coolinny Active member

58POSTS

4 years ago

#10

Separately, I have visited numerous countries such as Thailand, South Africa, Cambodia, and Japan, but I have never seen a country with a high percentage of 'locals' despite the name of an 'international school' as much as Mauritius. In the case of our eldest child, 3 foreigners out of 22, and in the case of the youngest child, 4 foreigners out of 25. The rest are all locals.

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Luckyovo New member

6POSTS

4 years ago

#11

@Coolinny

Thank you so much. The information you've provided here is quite insightful for anyone who wants to relocate to Mauritius with children.

Are there any notable Christian schools you know of?

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coolinny Active member

58POSTS

4 years ago

#12

@Luckyovo

as far as I know, there are 2 schools at MU, lighthouse and Morningstar school. hmmm, If you want to know more about these schools, please visit first and send me a direct message if you still have any questions. I don't know what country you're from or what kind of church you go to..

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Luckyovo New member

6POSTS

4 years ago

#13

@Coolinny

Thank you. I'm from Nigeria and a missionary. I hope to come to Mauritius before the end of this year. I attend a pentecostal church though my children attended a Catholic private school in Nigeria right from ages two.