The Minister for Education, Bob Loughman, said Vanuatu, as a bilingual nation needs more local French writers.
Minister Loughman was saying this to the French Ambassador to Vanuatu, Michel Djokovic, who gave 30,000 lecture books to French speaking schools in Shefa and Malampa Province.
The handover occasion took place at the Ministry of Education on Monday. Addressing Ambassador Djokovic, the minister said: “We want to encourage more Ni-Vanuatu French Speaking writers in the future.
“Writers who will write stories that reflects the local culture, stories that have traditional significance, writers to write on relevant topics as what to do during disasters or during a dengue fever outbreak and these books be accessible to French speaking students and citizens.”
Commenting on the minister’s will for more ni-Vanuatu French writers, the French Ambassador referred to young Marcel Meltherorong as an example.
Meltherorong is quite a popular composer, a singer and organizer of festivals as Fest Napuan. He has written two books published by the Alliance Francaise. The French Ambassador awarded Meltherorong with a prestigious French medal for his activities in literature and music and involvement in cultural events in Vanuatu.
Referring to the occasion, Ambassador Djokovic said his Embassy aims to promote literacy and develop student’s pleasure of reading.
The Embassy in partnership with ‘Le Bouquin Volant’, a famous Non-Government Organization in New Caledonia, donated the loads of reading books from different legends, stories with pictures and encyclopedias for research.
These used books are also resourceful to higher institutions in the country as Vanuatu Institute of Technology, Teacher’s College and USP (University of the South Pacific).
Some of these encyclopaedia are left at the ministry in Port Vila for research purposes. While the objective will later expand to outer provinces, Malampa and Shefa are easier to reach in this initiative.
Minister Loughman thanked French Embassy for its recognition and support to enhance Vanuatu’s literacy to a required standard that seeks for all pupil’s to prosper.
The minister leaves this week on an official visit to New Caledonia.
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