the Director of the Private Secondary Education Authority, he will, for the benefit of the House, obtain inf…
(No. B/945) Mr C. Baboolall (First Member for Montagne Blanche & GRSE) asked the Minister of Education and Human Resource whether, in regard to the Director of the Private Secondary Education Authority, he will, for the benefit of the House, obtain information as to whether the latter recently intervened in the granting of time off facilities to the executive members of the Union of Private Secondary Education Employees and issued a circular cancelling the 2017 Private Secondary Education Authority Guideline in relation thereto and state the measures being envisaged to restore clear guidelines in respect thereof, in conformity with the Workers' Rights Act 2019 and address the actions of the said Director accordingly.
Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am informed that time off facilities to executive members of UPSEE are presently being granted in line with the PSEA's Circular No. 116 of 2017 dated 20 July 2017. I am tabling a copy of the circular. In June 2025, UPSEE requested the PSEA to extend time off facilities to executive members of UPSEE Rodrigues branch. The matter was concurrently referred to the conciliation and mediation section of the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations. In this respect, the PSEA sought legal advice from the Attorney General's Office as to whether managers of private secondary schools and unions should be requested to comply with the Employment Relations Act in all matters relating to the granting of time off facilities. I am informed that the Attorney General's Office has advised that in line with section 16(4)(b) of the Private Secondary Education Authority Act, secondary and pre-vocational schools remain the employer of staff of private secondary schools. Accordingly, requests for time off facilities made by officers of trade unions representing employees of the private secondary schools would fall to be considered by the employer concerned in accordance with the provisions of the Employment Relations Act. The Board of the PSEA complied with the legal advice and decided that the provision of the Circular No. 116 of 2017 would no longer be applicable as from 2027. Consequently, requests for time off facilities made by representatives of trade unions representing employees from the private secondary schools should be considered by the employer, subject to the exigencies of service and provided that the smooth operation of the workplace is not impaired. In view thereof, the Director of the PSEA issued a circular on 26 May 2026 informing all private secondary schools of this decision. I am also tabling a copy of the circular. I am also informed that executive members of the Union of Private Secondary Education Employees should carry on with their responsibilities without any impediment and the time off facilities are at the discretion of the rector of the private school. Thank you.
The hon. First Member for Montagne Blanche & Grand River South East! GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT (MAURITIUS-INDIA) – PETROLEUM PRODUCTS SUPPLIERS – NEGOTIATIONS