Madam Speaker, I thank hon. Dr. Prayag for this question. Let me begin with an unvarnished truth. Mauritius has a nursing shortage. It is not a future problem. It is a present one. Our hospitals feel it, our patients feel it and every nurse currently working beyond one shift feels it most acutely. Mauritius is not alone. According to the World Health Organisation, it is estimated that there will be a global shortfall of 6 million nurses by 2030. Every country in our region is competing for the same trained professionals. If Mauritius is not deliberate, generous and urgent in its response, we risk losing our own graduates to better paying destinations before the ink is dry on their certificates. But here is what I want this august Assembly to understand: this Government is not merely intending to act. This Government, especially through the Ministry of Health and Wellness and my Ministry, is already acting. The frameworks are in place; the funding is in place; the bonds are in place; the international partnerships are being forged, and enrolment in nursing programme is growing. Let me set out the facts, Madam Speaker. Financial support and service bonds are not matters under consideration. They are matters already in operation. There are two main routes to becoming a registered nurse in Mauritius under the Nursing Council Act (2003) and both are backed by the full weight of public investment. The first route is through the Public Service Commission. Candidates are recruited directly as trainee nurses at the Central School of Nursing, under the Ministry of Health and Wellness, where they undergo three years of fully funded theoretical and clinical training. They also receive a monthly allowance throughout. Their training cost them nothing. Upon enlistment as trainee nurses, they enter into a bond to the effect that they will follow and complete the training course. After successful completion, registration with the Nursing Council and appointment as Nursing Officer, they are required to serve in a government hospital or health institution in Mauritius, Rodrigues or Agalega for a minimum of three years. The second route is through our public higher education institution under the Free Tertiary Education Scheme. Students enrolled full time at Polytechnics Mauritius Ltd for the National Diploma in Nursing or the Diploma in Mental Health Nursing and at the University of Technology Mauritius for the BSc (top-up) Nursing pay zero tuition fees. Education is free. The State funds the tuition fees. Madam Speaker, beyond these public pathways, nursing education in Mauritius has matured into a genuinely international credential offering. There are currently six accredited nursing programmes delivered in Mauritius through affiliations with Curtin University of Australia, La Trobe University of Australia, Swansea University UK and University of Suffolk UK, covering both entry level, BSc, global programmes and top-up degrees for practicing registered nurses, seeking to elevate their qualifications. These are degrees awarded by internationally ranked universities, but earned on the Mauritian soil. According to the Higher Education Commission, as at December 2025, enrolment across public and private institutions stood at 206 students at UTM, 75 at PML and a further 280 across private HEIs. A total nursing student population of 561 and growing. Madam Speaker, with regard to part (b) of the question related to expanding training capacity for regional and international demand, this Government, over and above meeting domestic demand, is deliberately and systematically positioning Mauritius as a regional hub for nursing and healthcare education. Our public and private institutions already have spare capacity to absorb additional students. Under the Mauritius-Africa Scholarship Scheme, deserving residents of African Union and African Commonwealth Member States are already eligible for full scholarships to study nursing in Mauritius, not at some future date, but today, under the existing arrangement. My Ministry has launched the ambitious Study in Mauritius marketing campaign, currently targeting African countries and shortly to be extended to Asia. Three landmark international quality assurance agreements underpin our global credibility and give international students the confidence that a Mauritian qualification will be recognised beyond our shores. Our agreement with Quality Assurance Agency of UK, our agreement with HCERES of France and our agreement with University Grants Commission of India, recently signed, are the evidences. Together, these three agreements position Mauritius as a serious internationally connected education jurisdiction, capable of attracting students, validating qualifications and comparing for enrolments with best destinations in our region. Madam Speaker, the ambition is clear. The direction is set. A nursing sector that first serves Mauritius completely and then trains the region with distinction. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes, Dr. Prayag, do you have any question? Okay, good. Next question! Dr. Ms Daureeawo, yes! YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT – RATE & EMPLOYABILITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMMES