Les membres du gouvernement ont pris note que le Finance and Audit (COVID-19 Solidarity Fund) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 sera promulgué, de la collaboration entre Mauritius Examinations Syndicate et la Cambridge International Education, que la deuxième réunion de India-Mauritius High Powered Joint Trade Committee aura lieu à Maurice pendant le mois de mai 2024, que l’International Firefighters’ Day aura lieu le 4 mai 2024, entres autres.
1. Cabinet has taken note of the promulgation of the Finance and Audit (COVID-19 Solidarity Fund) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 which provide for the “COVID-19 Solidarity Fund” to be renamed as “Solidarity Fund” and increase the scope of the mandate of the Fund, to include the financing of the following additional Government Schemes:
(a) the Prime à L’Emploi Scheme;
(b) the Cancer Treatment and Cancer Care Scheme; and
(c) the subsidies to bakeries.
2. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Collaboration Agreement between the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate and the Cambridge International Education in the field of examinations and assessments with the objectives of:
(a) ensuring that all candidates would be given a fair and equitable opportunity to excel to the very best of their abilities in educational assessments;
(b) providing assessments with integrity, designed to meet the curriculum requirements of the Mauritian national educational policy and ensure strict security enforcement;
(c) promoting the development of skills, competencies and innovation necessary for the holistic development of Mauritian learners;
(d) supporting the continual professional development of assessment staff through training, collaboration, partnership and the exchange of ideas and expertise; and
(e) ensuring that teachers would be provided with training and support to enable them to succeed in preparing students to an international standard.
The main activities falling under the collaboration relate to the conduct of end of cycle examinations at the end of Grade 11 and Grade 13, in respect of the School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate examinations, respectively, as well as the submission of the scholarship listings for the proclamation of laureates.
3. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology would deploy the Google Classroom as a digital platform for online teaching in Secondary Schools in order to enhance the experience and practice of online teaching. The Google Classroom would be rolled out as from the second term of academic year 2024. A comprehensive briefing for rectors would be held and clear protocols and guidelines would be established. Training sessions would be carried out for Educators for the optimal use of Google Classroom. Google accounts would be created for students as well as their parents thereby enhancing communication and bridging the gap between home and school. The Mauritius Institute of Education would be monitoring the whole exercise.
4. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change signing a Project Cooperation Agreement with the United Nations Office for Project Services, with a view to securing the assistance of the latter for an effective climate action transparency.
The Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change would embark on the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency, which had been set up as a project of the United Nations Office for Project Services for supporting developing countries, including Mauritius, in building their capacity for effective climate action transparency and better assessment of the impacts of climate policies and actions. The initiative would ultimately be beneficial for the full operationalisation of the MauNDC Registry, thereby improving the quality and access to climate change information and data, leading to more informed assessment of climate policies and improving decision making.
5. Cabinet has agreed to the holding of the second meeting of the India-Mauritius High Powered Joint Trade Committee under the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement on 22 and 23 May 2024 in Mauritius. The meeting would, inter alia, comprise discussions on:
(a) assessing trade performance under the Agreement;
(b) addressing Non-Tariff Barriers encountered by the Parties;
(c) exploring additional market access opportunities; and
(d) defining modalities to implement the Economic Cooperation Chapter.
6. Cabinet has taken note that Mauritius would observe the voluntary fishing closure period of all gears of tuna fishing in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission Area of Competence from 15 May 2024 to 15 June 2024 instead of 01 to 31 May 2024.
7. Cabinet has taken note of the organisation of activities in the context of the commemoration of International Firefighters’ Day which is celebrated on 04 May 2024 every year, to recognise and honour the sacrifices of firefighters who risk their lives for others, ensuring that communities and environment were as safe as possible. The Mauritius Fire and Rescue Service would, inter alia, organise the following activities:
(a) International Firefighters’ Day Commemoration Ceremony on 04 May 2024, at Coromandel Fire Station, comprising a parade consisting of squads from 11 fire stations and ending with the National Sound Off of fire sirens for 30 seconds at all fire stations;
(b) a Blood Donation Campaign on the premises of the Coromandel Fire Station on 04 May 2024;
(c) Fire Safety and Emergency Disaster Preparedness Campaigns, starting as from 04 May 2024, at different identified locations around the island; and
(d) Educational and Recreational activities throughout Mauritius as from 04 May 2024 for vulnerable groups.
8. Cabinet has taken note that the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council would organise a seminar on 26 April 2024 to mark World Intellectual Property Day 2024. The theme chosen for this year is “Intellectual Property and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Building our Common Future with Innovation and Creativity”.
The seminar would provide an opportunity to highlight the central role that Intellectual Property, innovation and creativity play in achieving the SDGs for the benefit of all. The seminar would be a platform to conduct valuable discussions through the involvement of both local and international experts. The discussions would be designed to encourage the formation of new partnerships, promote the exchange of knowledge and best practices, and secure a collective commitment to leveraging Intellectual Property as an effective instrument for accomplishing the SDGs.
9. Cabinet has taken note of the activities being organised by the Mauritius Digital Promotion Agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology in the context of Girls in ICT Day, which would be celebrated on 25 April 2024 on the theme “Leadership”.
The objective of Girls in ICT Day would be to bridge the barriers that girls face in ICT education and to reduce gender inequalities by providing female students with digital skills and tools through the following activities –
(a) 3D Design and Printing Boot Camps to initiate more girls on the concept of 3D Printing Technology, enable development of designing skills as well as promote girls in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education; and
(b) Career Counselling Sessions and Role Modelling, with a view to further encouraging female students uptake in IT subjects.
10. Cabinet has taken note that the teledon in favour of the people of Palestine, organised at national level and spearheaded by the Municipal City Council of Port Louis, had been extended up to 19 April 2024 and the bank accounts of the State Bank of Mauritius (Account Number: 503 0000 118 8017) and the Mauritius Commercial Bank (Account Number: 000 45 20 56 349) would remain open till that date.
11. Cabinet has taken note that, as at 10 April 2024, there were 259 active cases of Dengue Fever in Mauritius, of which 48 had been hospitalised in both public and private hospitals. For Rodrigues, 102 active cases of Dengue Fever had been recorded as at April 2024, of which 13 were hospitalised.
12. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent visit of the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare to Rodrigues. The main objective of the visit was to hold discussions with the Commission of Women’s Rights on the procedures to be put in place for the implementation of the recommendations of the National Gender Policy 2022-2030 and to seek their views on the proposed Child Adoption Bill.
A Workshop was also organised with the Departmental Heads of all Commissions on the provisions made in the National Gender Policy 2022-2030 and the implementing mechanism that need to be discussed for Rodrigues. The Minister also had meetings with the Commissioner of Women Rights and senior officials of the Commission and Women Associations in Rodrigues.
13. Cabinet has taken note of arrangements being made by the Ministry of Health and Wellness for the operationalisation as from 15 April 2024 of the Drug Users Administrative Panel, which would be chaired by Hon Abdurrafeek Hamuth, Former Puisne Judge.
14. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Board of the Early Childhood Care and Education Authority, with Mrs Fawzia Ahmad Toorawa as part-time Chairperson.
15. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Board of the State Trading Corporation, with Dr Ramchandra Bheenick as part-time Chairperson.
