Parents to Face New Fees as Rs2,750 Pre-Primary Grant Replaces Free Scheme

Families face new school costs as government replaces ‘Free’ scheme with fixed monthly grant, shifting financial burden from January 2026. Parents with children in private pre-primary schools are bracing for new expenses after the government announced a significant overhaul of the Free Pre-Primary Education Scheme, effective from January 2026.

The change means that, instead of fully reimbursing the operational costs of private schools, the state will now provide a fixed monthly “grant-in-aid” of Rs 2,750 per child.

Crucially, the remaining portion of the tuition fees will have to be covered by parents, a move that reverses the scheme’s previous provision which allowed some families to avoid paying any fees altogether.

The government stated it was “compelled” to review the scheme in its current form.

For example, if a private pre-primary school charges Rs 5,000 per month, the authorities will cover Rs 2,750, leaving the family to pay the remaining Rs 2,250.

The adjustment to the pre-primary education support was initially announced during the last Budget presentation. Operational details of the new grant structure are still being finalised.

Scope and Context

This measure specifically targets parents who opt for a private pre-primary school. Other families still have the option of enrolling their children in one of the 42 units attached to public primary schools, District Councils, or Municipalities.

The original scheme, which brought in free pre-primary education, only came into effect in January 2024 following an announcement by former Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth in March 2023.

At the time, 410 out of 541 private establishments initially signed up to the conditions, which included being barred from charging both registration and monthly fees to ease the financial pressure on families.

Pre-Primary Sector Data

As of March 2025, there were 801 pre-primary schools operating, with 767 in Mauritius and 34 in Rodrigues. The majority, 564, were managed by private operators.

The total number of children enrolled in pre-primary schools saw a 2.9% drop, falling from 27,495 in March 2024 to 26,704 in March 2025. Girls accounted for 49.3% of the total enrolment.

In terms of staffing, the sector employed 3,786 people in March 2025, a 3.5% decrease from March 2024. This total comprised 1,893 teachers and 1,893 non-teaching staff, resulting in an average of 14 students per teacher.

The Early Childhood Care and Education Authority (ECCEA) Act stipulates that a pre-primary teacher must hold a School Certificate (SC) and a certificate in Pre-School Education or a Teacher Certificate. Discussions are currently underway with relevant parties regarding a review of salaries.

School Management Requirements

Schools must be registered with the ECCEA and have a full-time manager to be eligible for the scheme. Eligible children must be aged 3 up until their entry into primary school.

Managers in the sector currently receive a monthly salary of Rs 35,000. From 2029, managers will be required to hold a Diploma in Early Childhood Management, a course supervised by the Ministry of Education.

Operational requirements for schools include:

• 1 manager per school.
• 1 assistant-manager for schools with over 101 children.
• 1 teacher for every group of 15 children.
• 1 assistant-teacher for every group of 15 children.
• 1 maintenance agent for every group of 50 children (up to a maximum of 5).

Source: Defi Media