Who owns the School?

Author: Susanna Dalais

The leadership team and teachers are often asked, “Who owns the school?” Many people jump to the conclusion that our Board Members are the owners, but this is not the case. Not only are they not the owners, but they also do not receive any financial benefits from serving in this capacity. The Board’s primary role is to ensure the long-term financial health of the school, enabling us to deliver the educational vision we have for our students. As stewards of the school’s mission and vision, the Board regularly meets to set goals and assess progress in line with our strategic planning.

Board members do not make decisions on admissions or discipline staff or students. However, if the school leadership ever fails to fulfil its mission or uphold its values, the Board is available to parents and staff as the final arbiter, in accordance with our grievance policy.

So, if the Board members are not the owners, who is? 

There is no single owner of the school. The ultimate caretaker of the school is The Lighthouse Trust. The concept of trusts dates back to the Middle Ages, when knights and warriors would leave their assets “in trust” to another party for safekeeping, in case they did not return from battle. In a similar way, trustees, and by extension, the Board members, act as stewards of the school, its mission, vision, and assets, for the benefit of children in Mauritius. The Lighthouse Trust is a charitable trust, registered in Mauritius and recognised by the MRA. It is eligible to receive charitable donations that support both the operational costs and capital investments (such as land and buildings) of the school.

Lighthouse is one of the few schools in Mauritius that owns its own land and buildings, a significant advantage as it allows us to develop the campus in alignment with our mission and purpose, rather than as a lessee.