SC and HSC Exams Confirmed for Wednesday 14 October in Mauritius

Mauritius has confirmed that national examinations for both the School Certificate (SC) and Higher School Certificate (HSC) will go ahead as scheduled on Wednesday, 14 October, despite the unrest that has gripped parts of the country in recent days.

The announcement was made by education authorities, signalling that the exam calendar will not be disrupted further for students sitting these high-stakes national qualifications.

The SC and HSC are the two most important public examinations in the Mauritian education system. The SC, taken at the end of secondary school at around age 16, is broadly equivalent to the UK's GCSE or O-Level. The HSC, sat two years later at around age 18, is equivalent to A-Levels and is the main gateway to university admission, both locally and abroad. Both exams are administered by the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES), the national body responsible for public assessments.

The decision to maintain the exams comes after a period of significant social unrest in Mauritius, centred largely on Port Louis, which led to school closures and the postponement of earlier exam sessions. Tens of thousands of students were affected when previous exam sittings had to be called off, causing widespread anxiety among candidates and their families.

For students still scheduled to sit papers on Wednesday, the confirmation will come as a relief — though also a call to prepare and get to their exam centres safely. Parents and students in areas affected by unrest are advised to plan their travel carefully and check with their schools or the MES for any last-minute updates.

What this means: If you or your child is sitting SC or HSC exams this week, Wednesday's sessions are confirmed to proceed. Students should treat the day as a normal exam day, ensure they have their candidate numbers and required materials, and allow extra time for travel given ongoing disruptions in some parts of the island. Any further changes would be communicated through the Ministry of Education and the MES.

Source: Le Defi Media