Mauritius Schools Closed Thursday–Friday, SC and HSC Exams Go Ahead
All school classes are suspended Thursday and Friday in Mauritius, but School Certificate and Higher School Certificate exams will continue as scheduled.
Mauritius has suspended regular school classes on Thursday and Friday this week, but authorities have confirmed that national examinations — the School Certificate (SC) and Higher School Certificate (HSC) — will go ahead as planned.
The decision affects students across primary and secondary schools island-wide, who will not attend normal classes on either day. However, candidates sitting the SC and HSC, the two most important public examinations in the Mauritian education system, are expected to present themselves for their papers as scheduled.
The SC is the equivalent of O-Levels and is taken by students at the end of Form 5, typically around age 17. The HSC, equivalent to A-Levels, is sat at the end of Form 6 by students preparing to enter university or the workforce. Both exams are administered by the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES) and carry significant weight for students' academic and professional futures.
The suspension of classes comes against a backdrop of civil unrest that has gripped parts of the island this week, following the death of Élodie Thomas, a young woman shot during a violent incident that sparked widespread public anger and protests. A curfew was imposed Wednesday night from 8:30 PM to 5 AM, and authorities have taken a series of precautionary measures across the education sector in response to the volatile situation.
Nurseries and crèches were already confirmed closed on Thursday, and universities moved to online learning for both Thursday and Friday. The decision to keep SC and HSC exams running signals that the government is determined not to disrupt the academic calendar for this critical cohort of students, despite the broader disruptions across the island.
Candidates who arrived late to exam centres due to transport disruptions have reportedly been granted additional time to complete their papers, reflecting some flexibility from the MES in recognising the exceptional circumstances.
What this means: If you have a child sitting SC or HSC exams this week, they are expected to attend their examination centre as normal. Students in all other year groups will not have school on Thursday or Friday. Parents should check with their child's school for further updates, as the situation on the ground continues to evolve.
Source: Le Defi Media
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are SC and HSC exams cancelled in Mauritius this week?−
No. Despite the suspension of regular school classes on Thursday and Friday, the School Certificate (SC) and Higher School Certificate (HSC) examinations administered by the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES) are confirmed to go ahead as scheduled.
Why are schools closed in Mauritius on Thursday and Friday?−
Schools have been closed as a precautionary measure amid civil unrest in Mauritius following the shooting of Élodie Thomas, which triggered protests and a Wednesday-night curfew from 8:30 PM to 5 AM across the island.
What happens if an SC or HSC student arrives late to their exam centre?−
According to reports, candidates who arrived late to SC and HSC examination centres due to transport disruptions caused by the unrest have been granted extra time to complete their papers by the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate.
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