NIE distance learners graduate |25 February 2005

The NIE students – who continued teaching throughout their studies – collected their Bachelors in Education in Design Technology following four years of part-time study, after the ministry signed a distance teaching deal with the Australian university in 2000.

The graduates collected their certificates last week at the NIE from visiting Edith Cowan University staff.

Minister for Education and Youth, Danny Faure, was present at the ceremony to congratulate the new graduates.

"Today you have the knowledge, skills and aptitude," said the minister before exhorting the teacher-students to pass on their new found skills and, "lead the implementation of the new Enterprise and Technology curriculum in schools."

The course was conducted through a mix of distance learning and intensive teaching by visiting Edith Cowan staff.

On hand from the university to make the presentations were Dr John Williams, Senior Lecturer in Technology and Enterprise Education and Associate Dean Glenda Campbell Evans.

Ms Campbell Evans described the graduation as an, "important milestone for the graduates, the Ministry of Education and Youth and for Edith Cowan University."

She said that the graduating teachers had improved their skills through their own hard work and were now, "leaders in the field of design technology in Seychelles."

Ms Campbell Evans said that they now faced the double challenge of working with their students and sharing their new found skills within the education system.

The 26 students are the first to have graduated since the distance teaching agreement was struck, although Seychelles already boasted 139 Edith Cowan University graduates, who had studied in Australia.