MAPUTO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese-built higher polytechnic institute has been inaugurated in Quissico, southern Mozambique, with President Daniel Chapo attending the ceremony and inaugurating the institution.
Speaking at the ceremony on Thursday, Chapo said Mozambique borders the Indian Ocean and is endowed with abundant rivers, lakes, freshwater and marine resources, adding that the Quissico Higher Polytechnic Institute will help strengthen local fish production and processing capacity, enhance young people's employment and entrepreneurial skills, and create more development opportunities for local communities.
Located in Quissico, Zavala District of Inhambane Province, the institute offers programs including aquaculture engineering, fish processing and quality control engineering, as well as logistics and transport.
Sergio Mulema, director-general of the institute, said Zavala is home to many artisanal fishing communities, while insufficient fish preservation and processing capacity has long constrained the development of the local fisheries sector.
With the institute now operational, training and related services in aquaculture and fish processing will help reduce post-catch losses and increase the added value of fishery products, Mulema said.
He added that the modern and practical infrastructure built by the Chinese company can meet the needs of polytechnic education and laboratory practice, while creating better conditions for local young people to pursue higher education and acquire skills in fish production and processing.
According to Wei Wei, general manager of the Mozambique branch of China Jiangsu International Economic and Technical Cooperation Group Ltd., the institute has eight classrooms, five laboratories, two computer rooms and a library. Its student dormitories can accommodate 216 people, while the campus is also equipped with aquaculture ponds, fish processing facilities and supporting service facilities.
"Young people are an important force for Mozambique's future development. We hope the institute will train more professionals in marine and fisheries technologies, provide talent support for local industrial development, and contribute to the friendship between the peoples of China and Mozambique," Wei said. ■