Luanda — Angolan minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Maria do Rosário Bragança Friday highlighted the progress achieved by the sector over the last 21 years, but she acknowledged that the schooling rate was still not satisfactory.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the second National Forum of University Students of Angola, the minister noted that the current rate of schooling and higher education is low.

"We are working to raise the schooling rate, approximately, of the mark that the African Union establishes in its Agenda 2063, in order to achieve the gross enrolment rate of 50 percent," she said.

The official also said that the achievement of peace in 2002 enabled the state to build more university infrastructure and to increase public and private higher education institutions across the country.

Six years later, she said, higher education institutions in Angola had risen from five to 13, the lecturers from 988 to 3,128 and students from 12,566 to 87,196.

Official figures indicate that, by 2011, there were 38 higher education institutions across the country and at least 140,000 students were registered.

Despite the growth recorded so far, she said, the Angolan government remained committed to expand the higher education in the country.

The president of the Council of the National Movement of University Youth of Angola (MNJUA), José Sequeira, said the organisation was aware of the social and political dynamics underway in the country, considering it appropriate to strengthen the movement's position, within the scope of the strategic partnership with the Angolan State, within the student community.

Under the motto"Think Angola, University youth a solid base for sustainable development", the event was attended by students from the country's 18 provinces. LIN/ART