Education can be effectively used to fight poverty: Purryag

Describing education as an instrument for social transformation, Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag has said, it can be effectively used to fight poverty and inequality.

"One of the most effective means to manage change meaningfully is education. I value the benefits of education highly. For me, the first and last objective of life is education and nothing else, but education," Dr Purryag told the 9th Annual Convocation of KIIT University here.

"I am sure many of us share a common belief in the supreme value of education as a central tool in the fight against poverty, the achievement of growth and the empowerment of our citizens," he said.

Stating that investment in education and human capital were the most effective ways for the poor to achieve decent levels of income and health, Purryag said evidence showed that investments in education was linked to employment and earnings, health and mortality, fertility and family size, to name a few.

"Human capital is increasingly regarded as an engine of economic growth and for a more equitable and egalitarian society. But there is greater societal inequality when inequality is greater in education," he said.

2769 students of 2012-13 graduating batch of KIIT University received their degrees at the Convocation in presence of Purryag and Nobel laureate Prof Oliver Smithies.

The University conferred Honoris Causa Degrees of DLitt and DSc on Purryag and Smithies respectively.

PTI