Discours Du Ministre de l'Education:
KEY NOTES for the OFFICIAL SPEECH of the MINISTER OF EDUCATION
AND TRAINING AT THE OCCASION OF THE SIGNING OF THE MOU ON TOURISM
11th SEPTEMBER 2019
Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and NI-Vanuatu Business,
Director of Department of Tourism,
CEO or Representative of Vanuatu Tourism Office,
Chairman of Vanuatu Island Bungalows and Tourism Association
Chairman of Vanuatu Hotels and Resorts Association,
Chairlady of Vanuatu Tours Operators Association,
Directors,
Senior Officers,
Students,
It is an honour, Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and NI-Vanuatu Business to be in your ministry this morning to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which has for purpose to create a partnership arrangement between the Ministry of Education and Training, the Department of Tourism, the Vanuatu Tourism Office, the Vanuatu Hotels and Resorts Association, the Vanuatu Island Bungalows and Tourism Association and the Vanuatu Tours Operators Association.
This Partnership arrangement aims to enhance good understanding, collaboration and close working relationship between my Ministry through its Tertiary Directorate and the stakeholders who are here this morning for the training and internship of students, employability of young graduates and capacity building of Tutors or Lecturers of the Bachelor Degree and Master in Tourism and Hospitality to relevant industries.
The Government of Vanuatu, through its people’s plan 2016-2030, has the commitment to further develop Higher Education in Vanuatu and thus to create a national university with bilingual streams in order to promote access to higher education for young people in the country.
The Ministry of Education and Training is in charge of developing these bilingual streams and wishes to develop and consolidate its network of partners and stakeholders in order to promote exposure to industry, the professional training and employability of young graduates through the involvement of the public and private sectors.
The Ministry of Education and Training also wishes to work in partnership to develop relevant curriculum and career pathways that are suited to industry’s needs, in the areas of tourism management and hospitality. We build the policy of training senior managers in the field of Tourism and Hospitality industries, in line with the objectives of the National Human Resources Development Plan 2016-2030.
The idea of this partnership has emerged with the development of the first Bilingual Bachelor in Tourism and Hospitality run in Vanuatu in partnership with 4 universities: University of New Caledonia, University of Toulouse, Taylor’s University in Malaysia and Victoria University of Wellington. This training has been launched in November 2017 and has started in February 2018. 54 students are currently enrolled, 24 in 2nd Year and 30 in First year. With the introduction of the third year, we will have a full three year unique degree program offered in country with bilingual contents in English and French languages.
The training program includes several internships, one month in first year, two months in second year and one semester in third year to create pathways between the academic environment and professional world with professionals of the tourism-related sectors.
In this partnership, the stakeholders are committed to cooperate in the fields of Career information sharing, capacity building, employability, and to facilitate the opportunities for internship by connecting students with industries and potential employers.
It constitutes an essential step for the emerging Vanuatu National Bilingual University which has to equip students with appropriate knowledge and skills for a better and stronger Tourism Management and Hospitality sector and better Vanuatu.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge your strong support Hon DPM and the support of tourism institutions operating under your Ministry and express my best wishes for the success of this exemplary partnership agreement signed today.
Thank you
