Seychelles Nation
Prospective students of the University of Seychelles (UniSey) yesterday learned more about the new Bachelor of Laws programme now on offer.
The presentation at the ex-National Institute of Education on the three-year law degree course to start in October was given by UniSey’s vice-chancellor Dr Rolph Payet in the presence of chief justice Frederick Egonda-Ntende.
Also present were president of the Court of Appeal Francis MacGregor, attorney-general Ronny Govinden, judges, lawyers and other legal professionals.
In his opening address, Mr MacGregor said this law degree is for those who want to gain an LLB degree of international standing, which has provided the first step on a career path for many thousands of practising lawyers worldwide.
“The programme aims to promote independent learning and it provides you with a wealth of resources,” he added.
He told the prospective students the course will enable them to develop their critical awareness and learn how to stand back and consider the bigger picture regarding the context of law, nationally and globally.
Students will get an opportunity not only to know the law but to understand it, he added.
Talking about the need for such a course here, Dr Payet said there has been great demand “as there is a critical call for legal practitioners in the country”.
He said there is demand in offshore services, maritime law, environmental law and also a need for more state counsel.
“With the reform in the economy there has been much greater demand for legal professionals, and it is much cheaper to train people here than to send them abroad,” Dr Payet explained.
He said two companies have already offered scholarships on this new programme. The university will start with the full-time course this year and later on consider other options such as part-time and diploma-level courses.
UniSey is proposing to introduce English law training here at LLB level and explore how specialised aspects of French and European law can be introduced at master level, he added.
The degree will be done in partnership with the University of London, and those who are interested must have an A-level certificate in at least three subjects with a minimum of 200 points in total – grade A being 120 points, grade B (100), grade C (80), grade D (60) and grade E (40).
Dr Payet added that they should also have the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) with a minimum grade C in three subjects, including English.
People who already have a degree but now want to pursue the law degree can do so, he added. Students who have not gained the necessary points at A-level can resit their exams and enrol on the course if they get the required grades.
Dr Payet said the cost of the course will be announced later, but the tuition fee is estimated at around R100,000-R125,000 a year.
All applications should be in by August 15, as induction will follow shortly afterwards.
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