The presence of free education at various levels (pre-primary in 1940, secondary in 1977, and tertiary in 2019) poses a significant challenge in the Republic of Mauritius, where numerous adults either discontinued their education or faced limited access. In addressing this concern, a series of activities were designed to provide training opportunities to different generations, including the Silent, Baby Boomers, Gen-X, and Millennials, across diverse creative fields through lifelong learning concept. These efforts extended to urban and rural areas in the North, South, East, and West regions of the country via awarded/tailored formal and non-formal training courses. The primary focus was on unemployed adults and aging citizens from 18 years old onward, with a program under the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) successfully upskilling sixty-eight (68) unemployed and retired women in basic pattern cutting and garment making, at first in the northern region subsequently to other regions. Additionally, twenty-three (23) senior citizens from the University of 3rd Age Mauritius (U3AM) participated in several practical workshops on concepts related to circular economy. Furthermore, forty-eight adults followed a Commonwealth of Learning (COL) online free multisectoral design courses exposing them to the virtual world of learning through the moodle platform. The outcome of these activities were that participants received credit earned certificates, updating them in new technologies, improving their motor and cognitive skills to maintain their well-being and exhibit their work in a professional manner. The aim achieved was to bridge the gap between generations and address some of the UN SDG goals

Authors:
Sabrina Ramsamy-Iranah, Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius
Vishwanath Pooneeth, Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius
Geeta Ramparsad, Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Sabrina Ramsamy-Iranah is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at University of Mauritius in Mauritius

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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