SEPTEMBER 2025 - Flipbook - Page 7
NEWS
President Gokhool Launches Pioneering AI Compe琀椀琀椀on for Secondary Students
On Monday 8 August 2025, President
of the Republic Mr Dharam Gokhool
officially launched the Learn-Artificial
Intelligence (AI) Innova琀椀on Challenge at
the Octave Wiehe Auditorium in Réduit.
This pioneering ini琀椀a琀椀ve was organized
by Dayforce, Doracrea and Mauritius
Telecom, in collabora琀椀on with the O昀케ce
of the President, the Ministry of Educa琀椀on
and Human Resource, and the Ministry of
Informa琀椀on Technology, Communica琀椀on
and Innova琀椀on.
The competition aimed to ignite the
interest of Lower Six (Grade 12) students
in technology while empowering them to
become solu琀椀on architects for na琀椀onal
challenges. This year, 69 secondary schools
across Mauri琀椀us par琀椀cipated, submi琀�ng
a total of 94 innova琀椀ve projects for the
Na琀椀onal Learn-AI Innova琀椀on Challenge.
agriculture, safer communi琀椀es, inclusive
educa琀椀on, and responsive public services.
Minister Gungapersad highlighted AI’s
global applica琀椀ons across various sectors
and its poten琀椀al to boost produc琀椀vity
through data-driven insights. He recalled
AI’s ability to provide personalized
tutoring, supporting students and
reinforcing tradi琀椀onal learning methods.
He urged students to uphold values
of reading, integrity and compassion,
emphasizing the importance of preserving
Mauri琀椀us’s unique human and ethical
values in an increasingly digital world.
Minister Ramtohul spoke about the
importance of public-private-people
partnerships in ensuring successful
digital transforma琀椀on. He stressed that
embracing technology was crucial for
progress and warned that those who
failed to adopt AI risked falling behind.
Reaffirming Mauritius’s determination
to lead its digital future, he highlighted
the need for responsible AI use, no琀椀ng
that overreliance could hinder genuine
learning. He also cautioned students
about their digital footprints, underscoring
the legal responsibili琀椀es under the ICT
Act and upcoming measures to promote
accountability and prevent harmful online
behavior.
Mauritius Telecom CEO Mr Gungadin
emphasized that the Learn-AI School
would empower students to use AI tools
like ChatGPT safely and crea琀椀vely. The
ini琀椀a琀椀ve aimed to equip students with
prac琀椀cal skills and hands-on experience
with advanced technologies, fostering
innovation and preparing them to
become future digital na琀椀ves, thereby
strengthening Mauri琀椀us’s compe琀椀琀椀veness
in AI.
Mr Jankee reiterated the country’s focus
on AI as a driver of innova琀椀on, highligh琀椀ng
the importance of mentorship, ethical
innova琀椀on and prac琀椀cal problem-solving
in suppor琀椀ng sustainable development.
Mr Dorasami added that this collabora琀椀ve
effort between government, industry
and ci琀椀zens aimed to nurture leadership
and crea琀椀vity among young Mauri琀椀ans,
ensuring a resilient and innova琀椀ve future.
The launch was attended by several
distinguished personalities, including
Minister of Education and Human
Resource, Dr Mahend Gungapersad;
Minister of Information Technology,
Communication and Innovation, Dr
Avinash Ramtohul; Mauritius Telecom
CEO Mr Veemal Gungadin; Dayforce Vice
President Mr Yogesh Jankee; DoraCrea
Managing Director Mr Vasenden
Dorasami; and others.
In his address, President Gokhool
emphasized that Mauri琀椀us was at a pivotal
moment, as AI was transforming work,
learning, and communica琀椀on worldwide.
He underscored the importance of
adop琀椀ng AI for the na琀椀on’s future and
expressed his commitment to sustaining
and expanding the ini琀椀a琀椀ve in future
editions. The President encouraged
students to leverage AI to enhance
crea琀椀vity, resilience and imagina琀椀on in
tackling challenges such as sustainable
Minister Pen琀椀ah Calls on Graduates to Embody Ethical Leadership
On Wednesday 10 September 2025,
the Minister of Public Service and
Administra琀椀ve Reforms, Mr. Lutchmanah
Pentiah, addressed the graduating
class of 2025 from the Faculty of Law
and Management at the University of
Mauri琀椀us (UOM). The ceremony was held
at the Paul Octave Wiéhé Auditorium
in Réduit, in the presence of the UOM
Chancellor, Dr. Louis Jean Claude Autrey,
academic sta昀昀 and proud family members.
Congratula琀椀ng the graduates on their
dedica琀椀on and perseverance, Minister
Pentiah acknowledged the sacrifices
made by their parents throughout their
academic journey. He encouraged the
graduates to face future challenges with
courage, resist tempta琀椀ons and strive to
become exemplary role models in their
respec琀椀ve 昀椀elds.
Sharing personal insights from his legal
career, he motivated the graduates
to serve the na琀椀on with integrity and
humility.
Addressing the broader public service,
Minister Pentiah highlighted the
07
government’s ongoing efforts to
modernize the sector. He announced
the upcoming introduction of the
Public Sector Reforms Bill, a crucial step
towards strengthening good governance,
increasing transparency and ensuring
accountability across public ins琀椀tu琀椀ons.
