Minister Valentin discusses innovative regional project with Malagasy counterpart |16 November 2021

Ministers Sahondrarimalala and Valentin

Education Minister Justin Valentin and his Malagasy counterpart, Marie Michelle Sahondrarimalala, mooted the idea of a regional educational programme during their meeting in Paris last week.

The two ministers, who are both in the French capital to attend the 41st General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), held bilateral talks on Thursday November 11 on the sidelines of this conference.

They agreed that it was time higher learning institutions in the island-states of Western Indian Ocean pool their resources to deliver a multi-disciplinary post-graduate degree that will equip its holders to operate in any of the islands.

The two ministers concurred that the institutional frameworks exist to facilitate the delivery of this degree and the model has been tested and proven its relevance in other parts of the world.

They said the way forward is to discuss the idea with their counterparts from the other island states in the region and then crystalise it into a project so it can get off the grounds.

Contributed