All our students adapted remarkably well and showed great resilience to the innovative methods designed for the continuity of our education system despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, made this statement, this afternoon, at a reception held in honour of the 2019 and 2021 Higher School Certificate Examinations laureates at the State House, Réduit.
The Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth; the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun; and other personalities were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the laureates, President Roopun, Prime Minister Jugnauth and VPM Dookun-Luchoomun congratulated them for their outstanding performance and lauded the contribution of their parents, teachers, and relatives for their unflinching support in their success.
The President further urged them to remember their roots and to feel humble enough to always bow to their motherland and proud enough to carry her in their hearts wherever they are. “Always be grateful for every person who supported you; your parents, your teachers, your peers and your country which gave you the peace, stability and opportunities to move forward and, on opportunity arising, give back what you received so that the future generations can benefit,” he said.
For his part, Prime Minister Jugnauth highlighted that this event is yet another occasion to underline the importance that Government attaches to education as a powerful agent of change which can improve livelihoods and drive long term economic growth. “Indeed the right education is the very foundation of any country, all the more so, for a country like ours which has no natural resources and relies on its human capital as its most important asset,” he pointed out.
Furthermore, Mr Jugnauth underscored that after coming this far, laureates will now be starting a new chapter and transition to the university life. On this note, he pointed out that Government will give all its support and puts full trust in their capacity to give back to the country after their studies and contribute to its economic growth and improve the living standards of our fellow countrymen.
The Prime Minister equally encouraged the practice of exercise, sports and staying socially active to keep a good balance as well as helping the poor and the disadvantaged people to improve their well-being. “To be able to face the challenging environment that we are living in today, a holistic approach is essential to build your capacity to be responsible and resilient citizens,” he pointed out.
Both Prime Minister Jugnauth and Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun indicated that despite the sanitary restrictions as regards COVID-19, Mauritius has been able to keep our learners connected to education through adaptive and self-directed learning adding that Government has been able to implement its vision to offer high quality, accessible and responsive education, and training programmes to learners anywhere at any time.
She also dwelt on the Scholarships Schemes which have been expanded and further democratised to create more opportunities for the youths regardless of their background. On this note, the VPM appealed to the laureates to think with a global attitude and act locally as their generation will be expected to bring local solutions to global challenges that are plaguing us presently and will continue to impact the world in some years to come. These include global warming, food security and climate change.
