A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the collaboration between the Republic of Mauritius and the People’s Republic of China through several areas of cooperation including higher education, mutual recognition of diplomas as well as the teaching of Mandarin in our schools, was signed, this morning, at the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development House, in Phoenix.
The signatories were the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Liying Zhu.
In her address, Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun highlighted that the signature of the MoU is in line with Government’s vision for the education sector which revolves around a holistic and inclusive approach, and which comprises the introduction of reform at all levels from pre-primary to secondary, technical education and higher education as well as schools for children with special needs. “Your country has always responded positively for close collaborations in the field of education to ensure access to quality education, namely, through the supply of Mandarin teachers and, the possibility for Mauritian students to pursue their higher education in China through scholarships offered by the Chinese government,” Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun added.
The MoU, she indicated, makes provision for collaboration in the field of education for children with special educational needs and caters for the promotion of vocational and technical training of the youths.
For his part, Mr Zhu said that the MoU covers a wide range of areas, such as the exchange of delegations, the establishment of partnerships between universities, the teaching of Chinese language, the provision of scholarships, and the possibility in the future of the reciprocal recognition of university degrees.
This agreement, he stressed, bears testimony to the cooperation between our two countries, especially in the context of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Sino- Mauritian diplomatic relations, as well as in strengthening our relations for the coming decades.
Mr Zhu underscored that Mauritius is a country in the midst of a development boom, and its role as a hub between China and mainland Africa is becoming increasingly important. He added that China, the second largest economy in the world, is also advancing rapidly in all sectors, in particular in those sectors where both countries will find common interests, namely: environment, renewable energy, high technology, maritime resources, finance, and infrastructure.
He further highlighted that with the implementation of the China-Mauritius Free Trade Agreement, and the free trade agreements at the African level, huge opportunities are opening up. “After COVID-19, young Chinese and Mauritian students should be encouraged to further intensify educational exchanges to become the talents our countries need in the future,” he stated.
On this score, he reiterated the unflinching support from the Chinese authorities as well as from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Mauritius in providing all facilities required so that the educational cooperation can develop further and make an even greater contribution to the development of friendly relations between China and Mauritius.
