Trainee teachers to take education degrees locally

Seychelles Nation - 12.02.2010
Local students can now study for bachelor of education degrees in early childhood, primary and secondary education at the University of Seychelles (UniSey).

This has been made possible through a new agreement between the Australia-based Edith Cowan University (ECU) and UniSey.

The signing took place yesterday at the auditorium of the university’s School of Education – which will run the degree courses – in the presence of Minister for Education Bernard Shamlaye, dean of the Faculty of Science at UniSey Dr George Ah-Thew and senior officials of the two universities.

Vice-chancellor Dr Rolph Payet signed the agreement on behalf of UniSey, while the ECU was represented by Dr Jenny Jay, programme director for early childhood studies and acting head of the School of Education.

The accord builds on the long-standing partnership between the ECU and the Ministry of Education in training teachers overseas for the past 14 years.

In the past, yearly groups of newly-qualified teachers at diploma level went to the ECU to complete a B.Ed degree in two years, while under the new agreement the same degree will be taught at UniSey by its own staff. The ECU will oversee the courses’ quality assurance.

Besides delivering the degree courses, the agreement includes components on professional development of staff and student exchanges.

Delivering the courses locally will allow UniSey to reduce costs and to enrol more student teachers annually.
While in the country, Dr Jay – who is accompanied by Professor Cher Ping Lim, director of the Asia-Pacific Centre of Excellence for Teacher Education – met and had talks with staff and heads of programmes of UniSey and representatives from the Ministry of Education. They also visited the university campus at Anse Royale.

President sees steady progression UniSey campus

Seychelles Nation - 11.02.2010
President James Michel yesterday visited the Anse Royale campus of the University of Seychelles, where an ongoing R12.5 million refurbishment is due to be completed this month.

Mr Michel, who is the university’s chancellor, was accompanied by its vice-chancellor Dr Rolph Payet and its top officials.
He said he visited the campus to see progress as the former facilities of the Seychelles Polytechnic are renovated.

Among the facilities he saw were the lecture rooms, libraries, computer laboratories, conference room, offices, staff rooms and cafeteria. He also met students, who told the Nation they were happy to see him.

The President said he was reassured that work is going on well although there is still a lot to be done.
“This university provides opportunities for young Seychellois to get better education, skills and knowledge to be able to participate better in the development of the country,” he added.

Mr Michel said the university is a landmark in the history of Seychelles, offering more young people an opportunity to develop.

He said he attaches a great deal of importance to the university, noting that he announced plans to launch it in 2007 “and today we see the project has become a reality”.

“To me the university represents a major national project,” he said.
When I announced the plans, some said Seychelles was too small for a university. But the country has come a long way, making it necessary for us to have a university, he added.

He said with the university and the Seychelles Young Leaders Programme, we are putting the future of the country in the hands of our young people “and the future begins today”.

Mr Michel said once the refurbishment is completed, the university will have a much better environment.

Seychelles and the world are moving very fast, and it is good that the university has already opened its doors to students.

“Everything must have a beginning and we were in a position to start off, which we did in September knowing that the world does not wait for anyone,” he said.

He said being accredited to the University of London is a good beginning and a practice followed by many other countries.

Dr Payet said the university has plans to sell laptops to students at cost price, but there is as yet no supplier able to sell such computers at a reasonable price locally.

He said the university is delaying installing new and expensive computers in the buildings now being refurbished because the power supply there is not reliable. A contractor will be asked to redo the wiring to ensure that once new equipment is installed it is not damaged by current fluctuations.

Dr Payet said two of the 53 students who started lectures have opted to give up for various reasons connected with their sponsors.

The renovation work at the university is being carried out by the China State Construction company.