Africa-Press – Mauritius. The winners of the ICT Short Video Competition and Bootcamp in Coding and Robotics 2023, were awarded, today, at the Core Auditorium in Ebène. The prize-giving ceremony was attended by the Vice-Prime Minister (VPM), Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, and the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Darsanand Balgobin.
The competitions were organised by the Mauritius Digital Promotion Agency (MDPA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, and the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology.
The Short Video Competition was launched on 16 March 2023 in the context of Girls in ICT Day 2023 for girl students of Grades 11 and 12. As for the 2nd edition of the Coding and Robotics Bootcamp, it was organised for boys attending secondary schools from 21 November to 02 December 2022.
In her address, VPM Dookun-Luchoomun, spoke of the need to promote digital literacy among the population especially the youth. “It is essential for children to get well-versed with technological tools at an early age as we are today in a rapidly evolving landscape where the importance of digital technology cannot be underestimated”, she stated.
She indicated that the advent of technology has opened new avenues of gaining knowledge and empowering individuals and has brought innovative approaches to learning.
The short video competition and the Bootcamp competition are great examples of how children can learn, discover and reflect on pressing issues of the society, stated the VPM.
Government, she emphasised, is doing its utmost best to enhance digital empowerment, ensure that all learners have equal opportunities to acquire digital literary and create a society that strives on equality and empowerment.
Initiatives such as free education; Early Learning Digital Programme; provision of internet connectivity for primary schools; and the Student Support Portal for secondary students, have been taken to this end.
As for Minister Balgobin, he underlined that ICT is a rapidly growing sector that is transforming the world in numerous ways especially with the emergence of digital technologies such as digital automation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Augmented Reality and 3D printing.
There is a new demand for New Digital Skill set, he said. It is of upmost priority for any caring Government to empower its citizens to have at least the fundamental digital competencies to meaningfully engage in life, he added.
To this end, he stated that the Ministry restructured the formerly known National Computer Board to a new institution branded as the MDPA in line with the Government’s strategy to promote and boost digitalisation in Mauritius, and to ensure that our country remains competitive and relevant in the global digital landscape.
Minister Balgobin observed that ICT is essential for the sustainability of our economy, our society, and our future. “Women and girls are making remarkable headways in this field and have great potential for a brilliant future”, he said.
Government is thus determined to build a more inclusive and equitable digital world for all, he emphasised. According to the latest ICT report by Statistics Mauritius, last year around 7,000 students opted for ICT at School Certificate level, 800 at Higher School Certificate, and 4,000 at Tertiary Level. These statistics, he stated, clearly demonstrate that the number of students opting for ICT has considerably increased over the years.
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