First ‘Sharing with Partners’ session |18 January 2014

Partners urged to join forces to achieve quality education

Partners are being asked to join forces and pull in one direction to collectively lay the foundation to achieving the common goal of quality education for all.

Education Minister Macsuzy Mondon made this call yesterday morning in the ministry’s first ‘Sharing with Partners’ session at the Seychelles Trading Company (STC) conference room.

In the presence of Designated Minister Vincent Meriton, principal secretaries, chief executives, members of the National Assembly, non-governmental organisations’ representatives, school council chairpersons, teachers, students and other relevant education partners, the minister thanked all the partners for their valuable contributions and support during the last year.

She noted that her ministry remains committed to achieving quality education for all despite the people’s high expectations and all the challenges faced.

“The benefits of the achievements must translate into the learning of all students. The community where our educational institutions are based which is also the source where we draw our school population from should be supportive and caring in nature to facilitate the healthy development and growth of our children. It is therefore vital that we all join forces and pull in one direction.

 In so doing, we will collectively lay the foundation to achieving the common goal of quality education for all,” said Minister Mondon.

The minister referred to the Education Reform Plan 2009 which she said in essence represents one of the most comprehensive national education development agenda, provides the framework and strategic direction, and paves the way for the transformation of the entire education system.

With the implementation of the Education Reform Agenda, the ministry has taken some key strategic decisions such as reforming the structure and curriculum of secondary schools to bring about phase one of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, the review of the early childhood curriculum, the enactment of the Tertiary Education Act, a new model for school inspection, a new model of school governance with the introduction of school councils, a new curriculum framework, a new assessment framework, the creation of the Centre for Curriculum and Teacher Support, a reviewed pastoral care system for schools, the introduction of citizenship education in schools and post-secondary institutions, the re-enforcement of special needs education to name a few.

All the priority areas and themes of the education reform action plans are being implemented, with the teachers’ council and the new teacher appraisal system to be in place this year.

“We must continue to improve on the gains already made through the reform, consolidate areas needing attention, and strengthen institutional mechanisms in place to lay the platform for the next chapter in the development of education. It is for this reason that the ministry has developed its Education Medium Term Strategic Plan 2013-2017 which represents the ministry’s ongoing engagement to further transform the education and training landscape,” Minister Mondon said.

The Medium Term Strategic Plan 2013-2017 is already in place with programme performance based budgeting (PPBB) which has enabled the ministry to view its strategic plan with a more critical eye in relation to its financial aspect, especially with regard to the costing of programmes compelling the ministry to be more focused and to account for the performance of programmes and smarter use of allocated funds. The public expenditure review being piloted will help identify key characteristics of the education budget that may have an impact on education outcomes.

The 2013-2017 plan which is geared towards the improvement of the overall performance of students will see new benchmarks being set to measure the level of attainment of our children at the different key stages and new demands will be imposed on all of us to deliver to the required standards.

The Centre for Curriculum Assessment and Teacher Support (CCATS) will put in place new accountability and monitoring structures to ensure that learning outcomes are closely monitored and that remediation is done aptly.

In 2014, special needs education will be introduced in all secondary schools and special needs coordinators’ responsibility will be to help teachers better respond to the different learning needs of their students. Training is being provided to secondary school staff to ensure the smooth implementation of the initiative.

Revamping teacher training and professional development stipulates that the provision of validated teacher training programmes from Certificate to Bachelor degree on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) will continue to be offered through a single professional centre – Seychelles Institute for Teacher Education (SITE) – under the Ministry of Education, in partnership with the School of Education and Language Studies (SOELS) of the University of Seychelles.

Located at the School of Education and Language Studies, SITE will offer five validated teacher training programmes in 2014: Diploma in Education, Advanced Diploma in Education, Post-Graduate Diploma in Education, Bachelor in Primary Education, and Bachelor in Secondary Education in Mathematics, Geography and History.

It will also be engaged in the continuous professional development of existing teachers. The SITE will explore and implement strategic partnerships with other teacher training institutions regionally and internationally to enhance its profile.

Minister Mondon also said that in her ministry’s effort to ensure that schools are staffed with well-trained teachers, a group of 18 students started the Diploma in Primary Education in 2013 and they are expected to complete training and join the primary schools in April 2015. She also said the ministry is re-introducing the special A-Level studies in preparation for the Diploma in Secondary Education courses.