Africa-Press – Mauritius. Budget 2022-23 makes provision of Rs 18.3 billion for the education sector, be it at primary, secondary or tertiary levels. Measures announced in the budget to give a boost to the educational sector comprise: Aone-off grant of Rs 50,000 to further support 125 private pre-primary schools in disadvantaged regions;
53 schools run by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) including those run by the Service Diocésain de l’Education Catholique (SeDEC) will be eligible to a grant of Rs 100,000 for repairs and renovation of buildings and Rs 50,000 for purchase of equipment and pedagogical tools and materials;
A 10 % increase in the allowance paid to specialists providing support paramedical services to children in Special Education Needs (SEN) schools; Provision of hot meal and transport facilities in SEN schools to all students irrespective of age;
Provision of a loan of Rs 100,000 by the Development Bank of Mauritius (DBM) at a concessionary interest rate of 3.5 percent for the upgrading and embellishment of the SEN school infrastructure; Increase of grant to NGOs/SeDEC that run SEN schools to Rs 155 million;
Provision of funds for the construction of a Pre-primary school at Le Morne, a new science block at the John Kennedy College, new classrooms at the Royal College of Port Louis, a new administrative block at the Queen Elizabeth College, a gymnasium at the Royal College of Curepipe, and science laboratories at France Boyer de la Giroday State Secondary School and Sookdeo Bissoondoyal State College;
Provision for 15-year-old students to participate in the 2024 Edition of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment;
A monthly increase of Rs 1,000 in the allowance paid to teachers of evening schools running oriental classes; Construction of a new Student Accommodation Facility on a Public-Private Partnership basis at Côte D’Or, for both the public and private higher education sector;
Introduction of a Sir Anerood Jugnauth National Scholarship Scheme that will be awarded to two laureates, one boy and one girl ranked first on the Economic side; and An increase in the maximum tax exemption in respect of a child pursuing tertiary education from Rs 225,000 to Rs 500,000.
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