Back to School: The Hunt for Uniforms and School Supplies
After the festivities, it's back to reality. With just a week before school resumes, the streets of the cities are bustling with hurried crowds: parents and children are busy searching for uniforms, textbooks, and essential accessories for a smooth start.
Prices for Bags Starting from Rs 800
At Jinchi store, the excitement is palpable. Families, whether they have primary or secondary school students, are browsing the aisles. After selecting their uniforms, children, under their parents' watchful eyes, head to the fitting rooms or stand at the counter to check their sizes. Saleswoman Chloé Cherinyeerany explains, "Customers no longer wait until the last minute: sales started early and shoppers are faithfully showing up."
Among them, Chrisna Marengo chose to get ahead of the rush. This mother, accompanied by her three children, explains that she wanted to avoid the last-minute rush. "I came to buy uniforms for my three kids. We started early to make the right choices." Her children, enrolled in Grades 1, 4, and 8, will each have new outfits. The planned budget is around Rs 7,000. Regulars note that the store also handles alterations without hassle.
Display Prices
• Dress: Rs 450 to Rs 600
• Shirt: Rs 325 to Rs 400
• Pants: Rs 425 to Rs 600
• Shorts: Rs 360 to Rs 400
• Polo shirt: Rs 450 to Rs 600
Prices for school bags start at Rs 800. This year, children's favorite heroes grace the shelves: Stitch, Sonic, Naruto, and even Mbappé.
A little further, another branch of Jinchi offers water bottles, lunch boxes, and practical accessories. Water bottles, available in 500 ml, 750 ml, and 1,000 ml sizes, start at Rs 375, while lunch boxes begin at Rs 175. Again, cartoon characters attract the younger crowd. For personalization enthusiasts, the service is available for Rs 75 for engraving a name or a few letters, up to ten characters.
Amidst this atmosphere of endless choices, Shameer Emamkhan, a barber, came with his daughter. Faced with a plethora of options, the little girl hesitates, but the excitement of the new school year is visible on their faces.
Durable Uniforms Starting from Rs 350
On Jummah Mosque Street in Port-Louis, Petronic has been upholding a family tradition for over sixty years. The store has become a go-to place for school uniforms.
For more than sixty years, Petronic, specialized in school uniforms, has cultivated a craftsmanship passed down through generations. Four generations have served behind the counter, never straying from the initial promise: to provide personalized service and durable products.
Store manager Grace Li ensures this reputation is upheld. She shares that in recent years, prices have hardly changed, demonstrating a commitment to remain accessible. In the aisles, uniforms are available for both girls and boys, in all sizes.
She emphasizes quality: "We offer our customers uniforms made from impeccable fabric that withstands washing." This craftsmanship keeps generations of students coming back.
Uniform Prices
• Dress: starting from Rs 375
• Shirt: starting from Rs 245
• Pants: starting from Rs 350
• Shorts: starting from Rs 225
• Polo shirt: starting from Rs 350
• Skirt-pants: starting from Rs 350
Textbooks: Fully Stocked
At the heart of Joseph Rivière Street, Navaline Shop is ready for the new school year. Bursting with colors and various models, it offers a wide range of school bags suitable for children from kindergarten to college.
But the offerings don’t stop there. In addition to classic backpacks, there are bags specially designed for carrying lunch. Comic book heroes proudly feature on most models, while more subdued and unique versions appeal to those who prefer simplicity.
And because a successful school year isn’t just about bags, water bottles and pencil cases complete the assortment, allowing both little ones and older students to start the school year on the right foot.
Late Lists
Almost all textbooks are already on the shelves. Publishers are reassuring: the books are here. If one or two titles are still missing, they should be delivered before the school year begins. "We have done our best to ensure the books are available on time," emphasizes Yashvin Hassamal from Éditions de l’océan Indien (EOI).
The order for 2026 was based on predictions from the officials. Every year, college administrators must provide booksellers with the list of textbooks to be used the following year. This exercise helps anticipate needs and order the necessary quantities. However, Yashvin Hassamal notes that some did not submit their lists on time. As a result, booksellers had to rely on estimates for their orders.
Textbooks are distributed for free to students in Grades 1 to 9. Some teachers, however, choose to supplement the curriculum with other books deemed more suitable. "We have many private institution heads who make use of this kind of service," confides Yashvin Hassamal.
For his part, Mahmad Mittoo, director of BM Bookcentre Ltd, assures that his textbooks are also available. "We care about our clients' interests. That’s why we have kept the same prices since 2023."
SCHOOL CALENDAR 2026
First Term
• Friday, January 9: Teachers’ return
• Monday, January 12 to Friday, April 3
• Monday, January 12: Admission for Grades 1, 7, and 10 in academies
• Tuesday, January 13: Start for all
Second Term
• Monday, April 20 to Friday, July 17
Third Term
• Monday, August 17 to Friday, October 30