Speaker, the ANC welcomes the SA Department of Higher Education and Training's signing of an agreement with Cuba. The agreement builds on the long-standing co-operation existing between the two countries. The co-operation will include visits by academic students and experts, as well as collaborations and mutual learning in the areas of teacher education, models of university delivery and agricultural studies. In addition, the co-operation will entail promoting the study of the Spanish language in a number of South African institutions of higher education and encourage South African citizens to study Spanish in Cuban institutions of higher education. Cuba will also encourage the strengthening of African studies in its higher education institutions and also facilitate the mutual recognition of higher education qualifications of both countries.
The agreement is in line with the department's strategic priority four, which talks to creating a culture of achievement and improving learner outcomes by partly contributing to the economic and social wellbeing of both the country and the wider global community and transforming knowledge into practical applications by contributing to international, national, regional and local policy formulation. [Applause.]