Africa-Press – Mauritius. Mauritius Telecom donated twelve electric fans and a laptop to Royal College Port Louis during a ceremony held, yesterday, in the presence of the Junior Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Mr Gilles Fabrice David; the Chief Executive Officer of Mauritius Telecom, Mr Veemal Gungadin; and other personalities.
In his address, Mr David underlined that this year marks the 50th anniversary of free secondary education, introduced under the vision of former Prime Minister, the late Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, who recognised the importance of investing in the education of the youth. He stated that the vision for a better Mauritius remains ongoing, with the Government launching consultations for Vision 2050 to guide the country towards a pathway of prosperity, inclusiveness, sustainability and numeracy.
On that score, the Junior Minister emphasised the need to move from technology consumption to technological creation by leveraging science and technology for transformative ideas and projects. He cited the example of a local start-up that has gained international recognition by using marine drones to combat marine biofouling. “This,” he said, “demonstrates Mauritian ingenuity at work, providing solutions to challenges that not only affect the structural integrity of ships and platforms, but also reduce vessel efficiency, increase fuel consumption, and accelerate corrosion, resulting in higher maintenance costs and environmental concerns.”
The Junior Minister called on young people, as the future of the country and a source of hope for development, to study and work diligently and to produce the same brand of innovation.
For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Mauritius Telecom spoke of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the world and how its potential, like that of social media, can be effectively leveraged. He elaborated on the company’s efforts to ensure that AI usage is safe, not only for the business ecosystem but also for the education sector.
According to the Chief Executive Officer, early exposure to AI will enable young people to use such tools effectively in the future. While acknowledging that AI has both advantages and drawbacks, he indicated that Mauritius Telecom is making AI safer for schools through its mytGPT Education, an AI-powered platform designed to support classroom learning.
Concerning the donation of the fans and laptop, Mr Gungadin stated that this initiative will be extended to other institutions.
