Morocco, India probe education cooperation
Morocco and India probed in New Delhi Wednesday means to upgrade their cooperation in matters of training, particularly in English teaching and information technologies.
Moroccan education minister, Abdellah Saaf, who is currently visiting India reviewed with Indian human resources development minister, Murli Manohar Joshi, various aspects related to bilateral cooperation, which was given a new impetus following the visit King Mohammed VI paid to India in February 2001.
Saaf and Joshi agreed on the need to foster exchanges in the realms of training.
The Moroccan educational system, which is being reformed, can draw benefit from the Indian experience, especially in terms of sciences and information technology, Saaf told Joshi.
Joshi, a passionate of the works of the Moroccan famed globe trotter and of the role of Morocco as a bridge between the Indian and European cultures, hailed the interest Morocco grants to India as a model.
He voiced India's readiness to share its know-how and experience with Morocco.
"We believe in sharing knowledge with developing nations, particularly in matters of information technologies," he said.
The Indian official invited Morocco to benefit from the Asian sub-continent's IT breakthroughs and proposed to consider the possibility to make under licence the Indian computer, Simputer, in Morocco.
The Indian Simputer is a simple computer that cost US$200. It was developed a year ago by engineers of Bangalore, is now in the stage of serial production. The inhabitants of a whole village, without electricity, can use the Simputer, available in English and in three local languages, using individual SIM cards for all sorts of applications.
The icons, replacing characters, figures and functions, allow an access to illiterates who can use the Simputer to learn to write, read and count.
Saaf and Joshi agreed to set an exchange program that will provide for sending Indian trainers to Moroccan universities and institutes and the creation of network links between the Moroccan and Indian most prestigious institutions.