6 March 2008
Havana — The Cuban government has pledged further support to Mozambique, particularly to the areas of education, health, and science and technology.
Talks in Havana between delegations of the two countries, headed by Mozambican President Armando Guebuza and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro, gave the green light to deepening the cooperation between Mozambique and Cuba in several areas.
In the area of education, the basis of Cuba's success, where pre-university education is compulsory and all education, including university level, is free of charge, the two parties agreed on the creation of a Higher Arts and Culture Institute, which will rely on the assistance of five Cuban specialists, who are already in Mozambique.
This institute is to be established in the southern city of Matola, and will be the first higher education institution there.
Mozambican Education Minister Aires Aly told AIM that an Installing Commission to establish the institute, which will start operating before the end of this year, has already been set up.
In the area of biotechnology, Mozambique and Cuba have agreed to install a Biotechnology Institute in the country, and to send Mozambican technicians to Cuba to specialize in this area.
In the area of health, it was agreed that Mozambicans will receive specialist courses in ophthalmology in Cuba.
There are currently 57 Mozambican students taking degrees at Cuban universities, and two doing post-graduate work, in areas including medicine, agriculture, veterinary science, economics management, sociology, computing, law, geology and mining, and physical education and sport.
Aly said that there is a plan to send a further 20 Mozambicans for specialist training in Cuba.
During a meeting that Guebuza held with Mozambican students, they complained about the difficult financial situation in their daily life, and asked the government to increase the value of their scholarships from the current 60 pesos (about 70 US dollars) a month, and to ensure that they are able to travel to Mozambique to attend funerals of close relatives.
Aly said that to try to meet these requests, the government has set up the Scholarship Institute to seek solutions to problems presented by students on scholarships. He added that the government is considering the introduction of scholarship loans, among other forms of financing students.
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