The second cohort of technical and vocational education training teachers are set to leave for China next week to follow a three-month course in three Chinese colleges, namely Weifang Vocational College, Jining Polytechnic and the Wuhan Technical College of Communications.
The eight teachers that will be embarking on this training are from seven secondary schools, namely Praslin, Anse Royale, Ile Perseverance, La Digue, Plaisance, Pointe Larue and English River.
Yesterday, the teachers received their flight tickets from the chargé d’affaires, Mu Jianfeng, and the principal secretary for education services, Merna Eulentin, during a ceremony at the ministry’s headquarters in Mont Fleuri.
The event, held in the Steel Frame Building, was also attended by principal secretary for education sector development, John Lesperance.
Mr Jianfeng presented the first batch of tickets to Harry Valentin, Vincent Larue, Carol Athanasius, Hazel Renaud, while PS Eulentin presented the other half to Jorcy Charles, Jean Claude Hollanda, Chantelle Ragain and Francis Leeroy.
The training programme is jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Education and the Chinese government under a memorandum of understanding signed on December 23, 2022. Its purpose is to enhance the teaching skills of Seychelles vocational education teachers, promote cultural and educational exchange between China and Seychelles, and deepen the friendship between the two nations.
In his opening speech, PS Lesperance stated that the Ministry of Education entered into a transformative partnership when it signed the MoU with the China-Africa Vocational Education Alliance. The agreement stands out as one of the most dynamic agreements, and since the signing, the progress achieved has been nothing short of remarkable, according to him.
Furthermore, within the dynamic framework of the agreement, the education ministry has outlined a range of collaborative projects in partnership with the China International Interllectech Group C. Ltd. (CIIC) and the China-Africa Vocational Education Alliance.
“These projects are strategically tailored to the occupations within key industries in Seychelles,” he stated.
He explained that with deliberate consideration, a complementary set of Chinese occupational standards has been selected for the purpose of benchmarking. These endeavours are anticipated to yield profound improvements in curriculum development at the newly founded National Technical and Vocational Secondary School, as well as elevate the quality of curriculum across professional centres.
“The alliance has enthusiastically embraced the cause of enhancing the capacity of our Seychelles TVET teachers. The first cohort has already completed their training in China with great success. Their testimonies were exceptional and we are very pleased with the outcome.”
The second cohort of TVET teachers are expected to leave the country on September 12 and the course will last until December 9, 2023.
