Mauritius May Renegotiate Cambridge Exam Deal After SC and HSC Cancellations

Mauritius is considering renegotiating its long-standing examination agreements with Cambridge Assessment International Education following the cancellation of this year's School Certificate and Higher School Certificate examinations, according to Education Minister Gungapersad.

The SC and HSC are the two most important public examinations in the Mauritian education system. The SC, taken at around age 17, is the equivalent of the British GCSE, while the HSC, taken at around age 19, is the equivalent of A-Levels. Both are administered in partnership with Cambridge Assessment International Education, part of the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Mauritius has relied on this partnership for decades to set, mark and certify the results of these national exams.

When the exams were cancelled, authorities fell back on assessed marks, meaning students received grades based on internal school assessments and coursework rather than sitting formal written papers. This approach proved deeply controversial. Many students, parents and educators questioned whether assessed marks were a fair or reliable substitute for the actual examinations, raising concerns about consistency between schools and the credibility of results.

Minister Gungapersad has now indicated that the government intends to revisit the terms of the agreement with Cambridge in light of these events. The suggestion is that Mauritius wants greater control or flexibility over how its national examinations are conducted and certified, so that future disruptions do not leave the country in the same difficult position.

The precise details of what changes Mauritius is seeking have not yet been made public. It is not clear whether the government is looking to modify specific clauses in the existing agreement, to bring more of the examination process under local control through the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate, the national body that co-ordinates public exams, or to explore alternative certification arrangements altogether.

What this means: For students, this review could eventually affect how their qualifications are structured, assessed and recognised internationally. Cambridge certification carries significant weight for university applications abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. Any shift in how Mauritius conducts or certifies these exams would need to be managed carefully to protect the international standing of SC and HSC qualifications. For now, students who received assessed marks this year remain in a state of uncertainty about how their results will be viewed by universities and employers. The minister's announcement signals that the government is taking a longer-term look at the system, but concrete changes are unlikely to affect candidates sitting exams in the immediate future.

Source: Le Defi Media