School leadership gets graduate upgrade |19 May 2005

The head of Lincoln University, vice chancellor David Chiddick was on hand to present the Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in Educational Leadership certificates to the first batch of Seychellois students to graduate from the programme.

The 14 teachers and Ministry of Education and Youth (MEY) staff were congratulated by MEY Minister Danny Faure who told them, "the investment in you is an investment in school leaders that are now prepared to take their respective schools to new heights."

The agreement between the ministry and the 10-year-old university was signed in early 2004 for a five-year period and was described as "solid" by Minister Faure.

"As we celebrate your achievements we also celebrate the excellent outcomes of our partnership with Lincoln University," he said.

Calling the graduates to collect their certificates the head of the course, Professor Tony Bush praised them for their, "determination, perseverance, talent, commitment and flair."

Professor Bush called the first graduation an "important event as a rich and powerful symbol of successful partnership between the University of Lincoln and the Ministry of Education and Youth."

Of the first 14 to complete the course, some studied full time at Lincoln University while the majority followed the course on a part time basis at the National Institute of Education (NIE) with visits from the Lincoln academics.

Their places have now been taken by 16 new students on the £5,600 per year course.
Vice chancellor Chiddick had praise for both the new graduates and the MEY-Lincoln University partnership.

"University and schools working in harmony can achieve major changes," he said adding, "economies and cultures flourish where there is a commitment to education."

In a thank you speech at the close of the ceremony MBA graduate Sultane Jacqueline said that gaining the qualification is a milestone in the teachers' careers, following the, "longest, hardest but most fulfilling year of my life."

The 14 graduates are Sylvia Alcindor, Merina Andimignon, Pierre Barra, Rosemary Bastienne, Marie-Cecile Benstrong, Doris Bick, Beryl Botsoie, Veronique Figaro, Nella Gentile, Sultane Jacqueline, Michel Madeline, Sherley Marie, Odile Octave and Milena Richard.