Africa-Press – Mauritius. A total of fourteen students of Grades 10–13, who are beneficiaries of the Social Register of Mauritius (SRM), received this morning, tablets, during a ceremony held at the Municipal Hall of Vacoas.
The initiative is a joint collaboration of the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity, and the National Empowerment Foundation (NEF).
Parliamentary Private Secretary, Mr Serge Gilbert Bablee, Member of Parliament (MP) and Deputy Chief Government Whip, Mr Soobeersingh Dhunoo, and MP, Mr Ashley Ittoo, remitted the tablets to the beneficiaries.
The Mayor of the Municipal Council of Vacoas-Phoenix, Mr Praveen Kumar Ramburn, was also present. In a statement after the ceremony, Mr Bablee highlighted that this laudable initiative aims at helping vulnerable and struggling families.
SRM families face various challenges and due to financial hardships are not able to provide their children with educational tools, he said. This act of solidarity, he stressed aims at helping these vulnerable families.
They will be able to avail of other Governmental facilities and benefits geared towards improving their quality of life, he added. Government, he recalled, has introduced a series of measures to this end, namely the negative income tax, the minimum wage, and the social housing programme.
The aim is to shrink social inequalities, he concluded. As for Mr Dhunoo, he underlined that the initiative forms part of Governmental measures to provide social welfare.
With the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and the state of ‘New Normal’, the education system is confronted with new challenges, he pointed out. He lauded the Ministry’s initiative for providing the necessary assistance and support to the struggling SRM families.
He dwelt on the importance of giving access to education and underlined that access to digitalisation is a human right. This initiative is attaining these twin goals, and will enable the beneficiaries to pursue their education and become self-reliant and independent, he stated.
Mr Ittoo emphasised that the initiative is in line with Government’s philosophy of keeping proximity with all citizens. This national initiative will ensure that all children irrespective of social backgrounds, enjoy equal opportunities to attain progress and success, he said.
