Central Data Catalog

The Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) has been administered annually since 1980 by the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate to grade 6 (ISCED 1) students in public and private schools. The CPE is generally administered to students aged between 11-13 years old. While there is no age limitation for independent candidates, public school candidates above 13 can only take the examination if they have repeated a class.

The CPE is a high-stake and mandatory examination that certifies completion of primary education. It is a requirement for students wishing to pursue lower-secondary education (ISCED 2). Passing the CPE allows reintegration of out-of-school children and youth into the school system at the next appropriate grade.

The CPE is a written examination, administered face-to-face and delivered through paper-pencil tests. All test-takers are presented with the same cognitive booklets or tests, which are aligned with the national curriculum.

The CPE serves the following purposes:

- student certification for completion of primary education

- student selection to higher education programmes or admission into specific courses or tracks

- school or educator accountability

- sub-national level monitoring of learning outcomes

- monitoring education quality levels

- planning education policy reforms

The CPE accommodates students with special needs, by providing the following arrangements:

- Hearing impairment: provision of reader; additional time

- Deaf blindness: provision of reader and writer; test materials in braille

- Physical disability: provision of reader and writer; additional time; separate examination room

- Emotional disturbance: separate examination room

- Visual impairment: test materials in large fonts; additional time

- Language impairment: provision of reader; additional time

- Environmental effect: additional time

- Accident, injury or severe illness: provision of reader and writer; additional time; separate examination room

Census (all students at the given grades or ages)

Results are reported at the student, school, local, sub-national, national and international levels. Data are disaggregated by sex, type of schools (public and private) and location (main island of Mauritius and islands of Rodrigues and Agalega).

Results are published in reports, which are available in print and online.