Three More Private Colleges Face Closure in Mauritius as Government Cuts Subsidies

The Mauritian government has finalized plans to strip state subsidies from three private secondary schools, including St Bartholomew’s and Royal Holloway, starting next year. The move follows the enforcement of a 150-student minimum threshold by the Private Secondary Education Authority, generating monthly savings of Rs 951,727 for the public purse.

Mauritius Trims State Budgets as Private Secondary Schools Face Subsidy Cuts

The Bottom Line

• Fiscal Impact: The state will capture recurring monthly savings of Rs 951,727 by cutting funding to Alpha College, St Bartholomew’s College, and Royal Holloway.
• Regulatory Enforcement: The Private Secondary Education Authority is applying the 150-student minimum rule and infrastructure mandates to weed out under-enrolled institutions.
• Vulnerable Pipeline: At least five other institutions retain provisional registration status for 2026, leaving them exposed to identical funding revocations.

The Anatomy of Private School Subsidies in Mauritius

Operating a grant-aided private educational institution in Mauritius requires managing a complex system of government allocations. Financial disclosures from the Private Secondary Education Authority reveal how these funds were previously distributed across administration, upkeep, and premises rental. For instance, Alpha College operated with a monthly subvention of Rs 157,298.67, which included Rs 2,365 for building rentals and Rs 40,530 as a managerial grant.

St Bartholomew’s College, located in Port-Louis, drew a heavier public allocation of Rs 384,271.33 per month. This figure covered Rs 50,000 for premises usage alongside substantial operational outlays like Rs 117,493.53 in direct and administrative expenses. Meanwhile, Royal Holloway in Montagne-Blanche cost the state Rs 410,157.33 monthly, driven by a higher rental compensation line item of Rs 175,833.33.

The Impact of the 150-Student Rule

The council of ministers acted on a strict policy framework targeting institutions failing to clear minimum enrollment bars or infrastructure audits. St Bartholomew’s College, tied to the family of former minister Dorine Chukowry—who serves as rectrice alongside her husband Bijaye Kumar Chukowry as manager—held merely a provisionally registered status. Without government funding, management faces the untenable choice of transitioning into a fully private, fee-paying model or shuttering entirely.

Royal Holloway faces the exact same structural impasse, joined by Alpha College, whose closure was confirmed earlier following infrastructure investigations. Previously, Bijaye Kumar Chukowry voiced deep anxieties regarding the financial viability of private institutions under tightening regulatory pressures. Now, the government’s refusal to renew funding effectively seals the fate of these campuses.

Institution Name	Location	Monthly State Subsidy (Rs)	Regulatory Status
Alpha College	Unspecified	Rs 157,298.67	Closure Confirmed (2027)
St Bartholomew’s College	Port-Louis	Rs 384,271.33	Subsidy Revoked (2027)
Royal Holloway	Montagne-Blanche	Rs 410,157.33	Subsidy Revoked (2027)
Nelson College	Saint-Pierre	Rs 213,290.67	Cleared Provisional List (2026)
Bhujoharry College	Quartier-Militaire	Rs 282,704.00	Active Subvention

Vulnerability Across the Remaining Provisional Register

While three schools face outright closure, several other institutions remain under observation. For the 2026 academic year, four schools in Mauritius and one in Rodrigues hold provisional registration. These comprise Darwin College in Flacq, New Educational College in Bel-Air Rivière Sèche, Patten (Girls) in Rose-Hill, Dayanand Anglo Vedic College at Morcellement St-André, and André Lélio Roussety College in Songes, Rodrigues.

With Alpha College exiting, Nelson College of Saint-Pierre will record the lowest remaining subvention tier at Rs 213,290.67 per month, followed by Bhujoharry College at Rs 282,704. Institutional owners lack the unilateral authority to shut down grant-aided schools independently without following official protocols, even when operating in severe financial distress. As regulatory oversight intensifies, the future remains uncertain for campuses hovering near the enrollment floor.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.