Windsor Girls' College Denies Closure Rumours Circulating Online

The management of Collège Windsor Filles (Windsor Girls' College) has moved swiftly to shut down rumours suggesting the school is about to close, issuing a formal statement to reassure parents, students, and the wider community. **What happened?** Reports — some of which circulated in sections of the local press — claimed the Rose-Belle school was facing imminent closure. The college's administration has flatly denied these claims. "Le collège Windsor Filles ne ferme pas ses portes" — Windsor Girls' College is not closing its doors — the statement reads. The school called on the public to exercise caution and not to give credence to what it described as baseless information. **Who actually has the power to close a school?** This is an important point that the college's management was keen to clarify. In Mauritius, the closure of a private secondary school cannot be decided by rumour, press reports, or even the school itself. That authority rests exclusively with the **Private Secondary Education Authority (PSEA)** — the government body responsible for regulating and overseeing private secondary schools across the island. The school confirmed that, as of now, neither the PSEA nor the **Ministry of Education** has issued any directive or instruction regarding closure. In other words, there is no official process underway. **About Windsor Girls' College** Founded in 1949, Windsor Girls' College is one of the longest-established educational institutions in the south of Mauritius. Located in **Rose-Belle**, in the Grand Port district, the school has served generations of students from the region and is considered a cornerstone of secondary education in the area. In its statement, the management reaffirmed its commitment to providing quality education and noted that the college continues to invest in modern infrastructure that meets the standards required by the relevant authorities. **What this means for parents and students** For families currently enrolled at Windsor Girls' College, the message is clear: the school is open, operational, and has no plans to close. If any official change in the school's status were ever to occur, it would have to go through the PSEA — a formal, regulated process that would not happen quietly or without notice. Parents concerned about the rumours are advised to contact the school directly or check with the PSEA for any official communications, rather than relying on unverified social media posts or press speculation. The episode also highlights a broader challenge facing Mauritius's education sector, where declining enrolment figures — linked in part to the country's falling birth rate — have fuelled anxiety about the future of smaller private schools. Source: ION News