Mauritius: A ceremony to reward 65 awardees, who have excelled in the field of education in India and other parts of the world, was held yesterday at the World Hindi Secretariat, Phoenix, at the initiative of the Intelligent Minds Trust (IMT) from India.
The President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun; the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun; the High Commissioner of India in Mauritius, Mrs K. Nandini Singla; the Education Secretary from Gujrat, India, Dr Vinod Rao; the Chairperson of the National School of Open Schooling, India, Prof Saroj Sharma; as well as high officials from the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology were present.
In his address, President Roopun commended IMT for the laudable initiative of honouring and acknowledging the efforts and contributions of all professionals in the education sector. He recalled that India’s support in the field of education has been unremitting, adding that as a Centre of academic excellence offering quality education at an affordable price, many Mauritians have been opting for India as a higher education destination.
He highlighted that India is helping Mauritius, as well as many developing countries in the field of education, to develop their human resources, bridge the digital divide and upgrade skills. He indicated that the Indian Government has launched tertiary education, training and skills initiatives and provided a number of scholarships, especially to African countries.
According to figures from University World News published last year, India is one of the top five destinations for African higher education students, with more than 25,000 African students studying in public and private universities across the country, he added.
The President further stated that in its quest to become a sustainable education hub, Mauritius looks forward to strengthening collaborations with India and establishing academic partnerships and networking. We look forward to learning from your experiences, success stories and good practices in the field of education, especially geared towards the most vulnerable groups, he said.
Speaking about the declining interest and enrolment in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, especially in developing countries, Mr Roopun acknowledged that India is leading the way in STEM education, adding that it is imperative to learn how to motivate youngsters in this particular field and to encourage them to achieve excellence and to develop their full potentials.
He expressed conviction that STEM, Innovation, Research and Development is the way forward to propel Mauritius to a high-income country. He also underlined that Government has recently agreed to the introduction of a Technology Education Stream at the secondary level with a view to providing a solid foundation for building up future higher-level skills.
For her part, Vice-Prime Minister Dookun-Luchoomun commended the educationists who have excelled in various fields and recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were the unsung heroes who kept education moving and went the extra mile to remain connected to learners.
Speaking about the education system in Mauritius, she stated that in 2015, the Education Reform aimed to promote the holistic development of all students was launched from pre-primary to tertiary level as well as the technology sector. The education system is a value-based education and places emphasis on the development of learners and Government also aims to position Mauritius as an education hub, she stated.
Furthermore, the system is being modernised, and learners are being equipped with the faculty to meet challenges in a constantly evolving world.
She also dwelt on the importance of digitalisation in the education sector and recalled the usefulness of remote learning.
