Bishop Durhône Calls for Migrant Children's Right to Education in Mauritius

On the occasion of World Migrant and Refugee Day, Bishop Jean-Michel Durhône of the Diocese of Port-Louis has called on Mauritius to uphold the right to education for children of migrants and refugees living on the island. Mgr Durhône, who leads the Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Louis — the main Catholic ecclesiastical authority in Mauritius — used the international observance to shine a light on the situation of migrant workers' children, a population that remains largely invisible in Mauritian public debate. **Who are the migrants in Mauritius?** Mauritius has seen a significant rise in foreign workers over the past two decades, primarily employed in the textile, construction, and domestic services sectors. Workers come mainly from Bangladesh, India, Madagascar, and several African nations. While exact numbers fluctuate, estimates suggest there are tens of thousands of migrant workers currently residing in Mauritius, some of whom are accompanied by — or have started — families on the island. The children of these workers often fall into a grey zone: they may not be Mauritian citizens, yet they live, grow up, and in many cases were born in Mauritius. Access to the public education system is not always straightforward for this group, raising concerns from humanitarian and religious organisations alike. **What did Bishop Durhône say?** While the full text of his statement was not reproduced in detail by Le Defi Media, Mgr Durhône's plea centred on the principle that every child — regardless of nationality or the legal status of their parents — has a fundamental right to education. This position aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Mauritius is a signatory. The bishop's intervention adds a moral and pastoral voice to what is primarily a policy gap: Mauritius does not have a comprehensive legal framework that explicitly guarantees schooling for undocumented or non-resident migrant children. **What this means** For migrant families in Mauritius, access to education can depend on individual school administrators, the work permit status of parents, or whether the family holds the right documentation. Without a clear national policy, children risk being excluded from schooling — with long-term consequences for their development and integration. Bishop Durhône's public appeal on a globally recognised day gives renewed visibility to this issue and may add pressure on the Mauritian government and the Ministry of Education to clarify or expand enrolment rules for migrant children. Civil society groups and international organisations such as UNICEF and the IOM (International Organization for Migration) have previously flagged the need for stronger protections for migrant communities in Mauritius. The Catholic Church, which runs a significant number of schools across the island, is well positioned to both advocate for — and potentially facilitate — broader access to education for vulnerable children. Source: Le Defi Media