In 1950, the government purchased a private house situated in the town of Rose Hill. Lady Blood opened the first government school for girls with a population of eighty girls, a small staff and no Headmistress. For two terms the Rector of the “Royal College School” looked after the “Girl’s Government Secondary School”. During the third term Mrs. Tekkam was appointed as Acting Headmistress and in August 1952 Mrs. Flashman was selected for appointment, hence becoming the first Headmistress to the newly-established school temporarily referred to as the “High School for Girls”. In February 1953, Lady Blood announced that Her Majesty the Queen had given her consent for naming the school the Queen Elizabeth College. In 1954 the students shifted to the new buildings and in 1956 QEC had its first laureate in the person of Prabha Venkatasamy. Mrs. Kistoe-West was appointed Rector in 1967 and in the 1970’s new subjects were added to the curriculum. In 1977, Mrs.Kistoe-West said farewell to the school. From then, on many devoted rectors helped in maintaining the standard and quality of education provided to the students.
Queen Elizabeth College is one of the oldest secondary schools on the island and is particularly recognized for its outstanding performance both at the academic and non-academic levels. For instance, in 2010 the college reiterated an impressive academic performance already set in the past by reaping once more all the 14 scholarships at the Cambridge A-level Examinations, girls’ side. This prestigious record of success is to be noted in a number of other national and international competitions in which the students participate yearly.
Consequently QEC has established the reputation of being the island’s leading girls’ school and is also considered as the best public school in Mauritius. It is, as such, a model to all other schools. Students from Queen Elizabeth College are equipped with skills to become not only self-confident and self-reliant but also with qualities to aim at excellence in all fields. Living proof of its immense success is visible in the outstanding number of professionals, scientists, leaders, politicians amongst so many other eminent professionals both in Mauritius and throughout the world.