MALI SEEK ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOP ITS HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Mali is seeking assistance from Muslim
countries to develop its higher learning institutions so as to catch up with
other advanced countries.

Mali's Higher Education and Research Minster, Professor Ginette Bellegarde Siby
said her country was facing challenges in its higher education due to shortage
of universities, lecturers and material.

Therefore, we need the assistance from Muslim countries to solve the problem,
she said.

"I will meet minister of higher education from various countries during the
three-day conference to discuss and find ways on how to solve education problems
in Mali which is also is one of the poorest countries in the world," she told
Bernama on the sideline of the 5th Islamic Conference of Ministers of Higher
Education and Scientific Research here Tuesday.

The conference was launched by Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister
Muhyiddin Yassin.

"We also have a shortage of trained scientists and technicians and rely heavily
on foreign assistance. The shortage is a major handicap in the execution of
national research programmes," she said.