The education system in Mauritius, patterned after the British model, has improved greatly since freedom. It has been free through the secondary level since 1976 and through the postsecondary level since 1988. The government has made an effort to offer sufficient funding for education, occasionally straining tight budgets. In 1991-92, reflecting the trend of earlier budgets, the government allocated 13 % for education, culture and art. Nonetheless, facilities in rural areas tend to be less sufficient than those in Port Louis and other cities. Literacy in 1990 for the population over fifteen years of age on the island of Mauritius was 80 % overall, 85 % for males, and 75 % for females.

The government of Mauritius regards education as a sphere of utmost importance in its move toward the "second stage" of economic development, namely becoming a newly industrialized nation. Therefore, at a donors' meeting in Paris in November 1991, the minister of education presented an ambitious Education Master Plan for the years 1991-2000. The plan calls for expanding education at all levels, from preprimary through university, through the establishment of new schools and the improvement of existing facilities, particularly technical and vocational education; the latter is an area that to date had not provided the technical skills required by island industries. contempt the population's 95 % literacy rate for those under thirty years of age, government officials have been concerned at the high dropout rate, particularly at the secondary level. University places are also being increased to 5,000, and new courses of study are being introduced. The donor response to the plan was very favorable. The World Bank pledged US$20 million, the African Development Bank US$15 million, and other donors an additional US$14 million.

More than 90 % of all children of primary-school age obtain primary education. The standard of secondary education is very high, and the University of Mauritius (founded in 1965) has faculties of agriculture, technology, education, and administration.