Minister Calls on PSEA to Explain Forest-Side College Registration Row

Mauritius's Education Minister Mahend Gungapersad has called on the Private Secondary Education Authority (PSEA) to publicly clarify the circumstances surrounding the registration of Forest-Side Secondary College (Boys & Girls), amid growing questions about whether proper procedures were followed — and whether political connections played a role. The minister announced that PSEA Director Amrita Boolauky would hold a press conference dedicated to the matter. He stressed that he is closely monitoring the situation and that, based on information provided to him by the PSEA, all legal procedures had been respected. He also denied that any political favour had been extended in connection with the school's registration. **Who runs Forest-Side Secondary College?** The school is managed by Reza Saumtally, the elected Member of Parliament for Constituency No. 10 and also Director of the OCEP (Office de l'Éducation Préscolaire — the body overseeing pre-primary education in Mauritius). The dual role — lawmaker, education official, and now private school operator — has raised eyebrows among education sector professionals. **Why is the timing controversial?** The registration is drawing scrutiny partly because of its timing. The private secondary education sector is facing a significant restructuring from January 2027. At its meeting on 25 September 2026, the Council of Ministers noted the PSEA's decision to withdraw subsidies, effective January 2027, from two long-established private secondary colleges: St Bartholomew's College in Port Louis and Royal Holloway College in Montagne-Blanche. Critics are asking why a new private secondary school is being registered and presumably set to receive public funding at a moment when the government is cutting support for existing institutions. The apparent contradiction has prompted calls for greater transparency from the PSEA. **What is the PSEA?** The Private Secondary Education Authority is the statutory body in Mauritius responsible for registering, regulating, and partially funding private secondary schools. These schools serve thousands of students who do not secure places in government colleges after the Primary School Achievement Certificate (PSAC) results. **What this means** For parents and students, the controversy touches on fairness and trust in the education system. If a school linked to a sitting MP and government official received registration while others are losing subsidies, it raises legitimate governance questions — regardless of whether rules were technically followed. The PSEA press conference will be closely watched as a test of institutional transparency. Education sector professionals and civil society will want concrete answers: what criteria were applied, when was the application received, and what funding — if any — is attached to the registration. Source: ION News