Zanzibar: Oman Provides Support in Education
Oman and Zanzibar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) allowing 50 students from Zanzibar to receive scholarships from the Omani government. The Omani education funds aim to further academic collaboration between the two countries and contribute to Zanzibar’s development.
Below is an article published by AllAfrica:
Oman and Zanzibar bilateral relations have gained momentum following the official inauguration of 'Sultan Qaboos Academic Fellowship Programme (SQAF) for students from the islands.
Ms Dr Rawya Saud Al Busaidi, Oman's Minister of Higher Education, and the Zanzibar's counterpart Mr Ali Juma Shamuhuna launched the online application for the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA).
According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the fellowship, fifty Zanzibar bachelors, master's degree, and PhD students, will receive scholarships from the government of Oman annually.
"The MoU includes academic and administrative exchange, as well as sharing materials and engaging in collaborative research projects, with annual funding from the government of the Sultanate of Oman," said Rawya.
The SQAF programme also includes 'Train-the-trainer courses in the areas of Education, Health, Environment, Infrastructure and Entrepreneurship aimed at strengthening SUZA's capacity to contribute to the sustainable development, stability, and prosperity of Zanzibar.
Under the SQAF, educational opportunities will be provided in countries such as the Unites States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, South Africa, Malta, Poland, Austria, Germany, Finland, and Malaysia. "Fellowship recipients may specialize in areas such as Education, Medicine, Science, Engineering, Information Technology, and Humanities including Language studies.
Certificates, Bachelors, Masters, and PhD programmes of study in the context of the needs of Zanzibar through SUZA," the Oman Minister said. In the presence of other senior staffs of SUZA and the Islands Ministry of Education, Shamuhuna thanked Oman for the education support, promising the best use of the fellowships for the development of Zanzibar.
Prior to the launch of the SQAF online, the Oman minister also held talks with President Shein, First Vice-President Seif Sharif Hamad, other senior government officials, and SUZA council, and also visited secondary school with Advanced Level Classes.
