Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Mauritius Sports Council (MSC) has renewed its partnership with Quality Beverages Ltd (QBL), with the objective of providing swimming and water safety lessons to primary school pupils and the youth.
An agreement extending the partnership over the next three years was signed, this afternoon, at the Serge Alfred Swimming Pool, in Beau Bassin, by the Chairperson of the MSC, Mrs Sarah Rawat-Currimjee, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of QBL, Mr Inigo de Prado.
The Assistant Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation, Mr Muhammad Azhar Mamoojee, and other personalities were also present.
In her remarks for the occasion, the Chairperson of the MSC recalled that the partnership was first launched in 2015 in the context of the ‘Nager, c’est vital’ (Swimming is essential) initiative, which proposed swimming activity to children and youth during summer school holidays.
She stated that the partnership now covers ‘Natation scolaire’ (school swimming programme), and ‘Anou Naze’ (Let us swim project) for young Rodriguans.
Highlighting the importance of teaching swimming and survival skills to children, Mrs Sarah Rawat-Currimjee elaborated on the Natation Scolaire programme, which, from a pilot project targeting some 30 primary schools in January 2017 is now a component of the school curriculum of all grade four pupils.
The project is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation, and the MSC.
For his part, the CEO of QBL welcomed the resumption of the Natation Scolaire Programme, as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. He commended the endeavour which would enable over 10,000 Grade 4 pupils from 230 primary schools to learn how to swim.
Mr Inigo de Prado said that QBL would be disbursing some Rs 11 million over the next three years, under the partnership, in the form of swimming caps and bags to pupils participating in the swimming activities, and for the maintenance of the swimming pools, among others.
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