The Dukesbridge Group, which is the largest chain of public schools in Mauritius, held on 5 September 2022 the launching ceremony of its third primary school in Mauritius, named Dukesbridge North, located in Pamplemousses.
The new campus was inaugurated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education of Mauritius, the Honourable Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, in the presence of Australian government officials, students, parents and the Dukesbridge team. The ceremony began with a theatrical performance by the students, reflecting the school’s philosophy of developing individuals with versatile qualities.
The Honourable Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun congratulated the founders of Dukesbridge, Rishi and Shannon Nursimulu, for their commitment to the growth and diversification of the Mauritian education sector.
The Dukesbridge Group is officially accredited by the Australian Government, specifically Western Australia, and continues to grow in East Africa. Dukesbridge currently has 10 pre-schools and 3 primary schools (including Dukesbridge North) on the island, and 2 schools in Kenya. The Dukesbridge secondary school is scheduled to open in 2023 in Trianon.
Shannon Nursimulu attributed the success of the school to the teaching and administrative staff, led by Kirsty Lallchand, the principal of Dukesbridge Primary School. She said the construction of the new campus in Mon Goût, Pamplemousses, took over a year. Construction was completed in May 2022, and the children moved in and started classes in July 2022.
“Dukesbridge was born out of a dream Rishi had to return to Mauritius after being a laureate in 1999 and give back to his community. We opened the first school in 2014 and today we are present in 13 locations in Mauritius and 2 locations in Kenya. Our motto is ‘teaching happiness’ and that drives everything we do at the school,” she stressed.
Finally, Rose Smith, Senior Consultant in the Early Childhood department of the Western Australian Government’s School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) International Education team, said, “We would like to thank Rishi and Shannon for their commitment to providing alternative education for children in Mauritius by offering a holistic and integrated curriculum designed to make a real difference to your child’s life.”
Dukesbridge chose Mon Goût, Pamplemousses as the location for its third primary school because of its prime location in the heart of the northern villages, on the main road linking the North East to the highway. Many of the students come from areas such as Goodlands and Grand Bay in the north, while others come from the Port Louis and Terre Rouge areas.
The campus can accommodate 450 students, with about 20 children per class. There is currently one grade three class, two grade two classes and two grade one classes, and the first group of grade four students will start in 2023. The North Campus (Nursery to Primary) has almost 300 children and there are still places available, although they are filling up fast. Dukesbridge is not looking to fill the school immediately, but rather to grow with its pupils.
Dukesbridge in collaboration with the Australian Chamber of Commerce focuses on parenting in a modern world.
During the visit of the Australian Government representatives to Mauritius, Dukesbridge organised a seminar in partnership with the Australian Chamber of Commerce on the theme “Parenting in the Modern World”, which was held at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis on Saturday 3 September.
The event was kicked off by Graeme Robertson, President of the Australian Chamber of Commerce. He introduced Jodie Matthews, Senior Consultant from the Western Australian Government’s School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA), who explained the philosophy of Australian education.
The keynote address was followed by a panel discussion on post-Covid issues for parents, moderated by Rishi Nursimulu, founder of Dukesbridge. The panel consisted of Jodie Matthews, Susanna Dalais, co-founder and head teacher of Lighthouse Primary and Secondary School in Mauritius, Ingrid Holmes, head teacher of Telfair Primary School, and Julia Rolfe, EQ Practitioner, business owner and leadership coach.
Following the discussion, the second keynote address was given by Julia Rolfe, who spoke on the topic of emotional intelligence.
“The key to engaging our children is to empower them to be curious. Let’s train our children to see every problem as an opportunity to learn. It is important to recognise that our children will go through difficult times, but if they can think beyond themselves, they can be equipped with the skills to connect and reflect a different situation. Ultimately, I believe this is the key to unlocking a better future,” she stressed.
The second part of the seminar was marked by another panel discussion, this time on the topic of “Defusing Anger in Children”. The discussion was moderated by Shannon Nursimulu, Principal of Dukesbridge Schools, and included Rose Smith, Senior Consultant with the Early Childhood Department of the Western Australian Government’s SCSA, Smeeta Beeharry Heeramun, Psychologist at the Wellkin Clinic, Kirsty Lallchand from Dukesbridge Primary School, and Anne Rajoo, NLP Practitioner & Parenting Coach.
Finally, Anne Rajoo took the stage to deliver the third keynote address, and the event ended with a thank you note from Rishi to the speakers for sharing their valuable insights into raising children in a post-Covid world.
What is the next step for the Dukesbridge Group?
Dukesbridge has just acquired over two hectares of land next to its primary school in Trianon, Ebony, where its secondary school will start in 2023. The curriculum will follow the Australian curriculum but will also reflect aspects of the Mauritian context. In addition to the Australian Certificate, Dukesbridge aims to offer the Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level (HSC) examinations. The school also aims to offer children internships and exchanges with Australian schools in Perth. Dukesbridge, which already has a presence in Kenya, also aims to attract students from the African continent to its secondary school in Mauritius.
