Swazi Observer

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DPM URGES EMASWATI STUDENTS IN CUBA TO USE OPPORTUNITY WISELY

By NOKUZOLA THWALA | 2023-09-19

Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku has encouraged medical students studying in Cuba to use opportunities given to them wisely and profitably.

He said they must be patient, humble, and respectful so that they are successful. They must urge their counterparts and age-mates in the country to do the same because their future depended on them pursuing their education endeavours dutifully.

Masuku was speaking during the sidelines of the ongoing G77+China Summit in Havana, Cuba, where he is representing His Majesty King Mswati III. The summit is themed ‘Current development challenges: the role of science, technology and innovation’.

The DPM said it was important for the students to share what they have learnt with others when visiting home.

He encouraged them to establish social media groups, where they would share their experiences with other people who resort to violence where there are dissenting views.

“You have been in Cuba for some time. Have you heard or seen people going around burning or destroying property just because they share different views with the system of governance.
“These are the people you should be sharing your experiences with,” he said.

The students, on the other hand, shared their experiences of being in that country with the DPM and also the challenges they faced. The DPM added that the students they met come from areas such as Ngudzeni, Phungalegazi, Ncabaneni and Msunduza.

He said they expressed appreciation of the meeting and also briefed them about their experience in Cuba.

"What was heartwarming was their appreciation of the opportunity to study here in Cuba and the role government and their parents played in getting and sustaining them here.

However, they miss home and wish they would visit home once in a while. They praised the health system of the Cubans despise the existence of other hardships that are present in every developing country," he added.

Nonzuko Dlamini shared that in her pre-medical degree, they were taught Spanish, physics and geography among others, adding that these subjects were to assist familiarise them with some of the medical terms.

Nomfundo Dlamini added that the learning processes become difficult because of the different challenging situations they faced, which include not having electricity and water when they needed to study, and not affording some products when shopping

Fourth year student Sitakele Simelane told the DPM that despite the challenges, they tried to assist each other when they can.

Samkelo Dlamini said it had been years since he last visited home.
He stated that they worked together to get things done regardless of the few uncomfortable situations they faced.

Meanwhile, in the same meeting Royal Science Technology Park Chief Executive Officer Vumile Dlamini urged the students to tap into the science, technology and research sphere, as Cuba was the best in such fields.

He noted that Cuba and Eswatini signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and that researchers from both countries would be working on the biotech park labs and intellectual properties given so that they were able to produce pharmaceutical products and supply to the world.

Impactful
“The country sent you here so that the human capital can increase as well. Hold on to what you have learnt here in order to be impactful in the biotech research,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DPM’s wife Dimpho also joined the G77+China Heads of State spouses programme that aims to develop and empower women to take centre-stage in development agendas in their countries.

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