Pretoria, April 14, 2021.- Cuban Ambassador Rodolfo Benítez Verson held a fruitful meeting with representatives of the South African Department of Basic Education, led by the Deputy Director General, Ms. Simone Geyer, Ms. Hleki Mabunda and Ms. Nomsa Shabangu, Director and Deputy Director of International Relations, respectively, and Mr. Seliki Tlhabane, Chief Curriculum Director, accompanied by other officials of the Department.
The Cuban delegation was also made up of the Coordinator of the Cuban Educational Brigade in South Africa, Prof. Yadileydi Hernández Collot, and the Economic Counselor, Aldo Valdés.
The parties reviewed the implementation of the intergovernmental cooperation agreement in the basic education sector. South African executives highlighted the excellent work carried out by the Cuban math, physics and science teachers who are in South Africa advising the Department of Basic Education.
Likewise, new specific cooperation projects were addressed in areas such as pre-school education, technical education and the application of information and communication technologies in education, as part of the agreed plans to continue expanding and diversifying the bilateral cooperation on education which has achieve successful results so far.
The Deputy Director General of South Africa appreciated the opportunity she had to participate, as head of the South African delegation, in the International Pedagogy Congress 2021, organized by the Cuban Ministry of Education, held virtually last February.
Both parties agreed to describe the meeting as highly productive, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, a reflection of the deep and special ties of friendship, solidarity and cooperation that exist between South Africa and Cuba.