1000.31 Regional education; state policy.—It is hereby declared to be the policy of the state to promote the development and maintenance of regional education services and facilities in the Southern States in the professional, technological, scientific, literary and other fields so as to provide greater educational advantages for the citizens of the state and the citizens in the several states in said region; and it is found and determined by the Legislature of the state that greater educational advantages and facilities for the citizens of the state in certain phases of the professional, technological, scientific, literary and other fields in education can best be accomplished by the development and maintenance of regional educational services and facilities, under the plan embodied in “The Regional Pact” hereinafter adopted; and this law shall be liberally construed to accomplish such purposes.