New institute to boost teaching |19 February 2014

Teaching has been given a big boost with the coming into operation yesterday of the newly established Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education (SITE).

The institution yesterday welcomed its first batch of students for this year with a special assembly held in its auditorium.

The ceremony took place in the presence of the Minister for Education Macsuzy Mondon, her principal secretary Merida Delcy, the institution’s new director Rosianna Jules and other staff and current students of the SITE.

During the ceremony the new director of the institution Mrs Jules commended the students for answering the call to dedicate themselves to the noble teaching profession which she said is far more complex than medicine (See accompanying story).

Mrs Jules was later presented with the World Book of Values by Minister Mondon portraying the SITE as a ‘Value Institution’.

Minister Mondon thanked all the students for having chosen SITE with the aim of becoming effective teachers.

The minister told those who have opted for teaching as their career that they have chosen the most noble profession in the world and it is her wish that they will become good teachers.

To the others for whom teaching may not have been their first choice, Minister Mondon told them that it does not mean that they cannot also become good teachers.

“There may be good reasons why you are here, maybe you were born to be a teacher, so be positive about your second or third choice and work hard at becoming a good teacher,” she said.

“We therefore expect no less than exemplary behaviour from our student teachers. Look up to your lecturers as role models and be ambassadors of SITE. You, who have chosen teaching as your profession, can influence other young people to follow in your footsteps. I urge all of you to abide to the ‘three R’s’ – Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for your actions. Be exemplary and ‘walk the talk’,” the minister told the new batch of students.

Noting that SITE is a professional teacher training institution, Minister Mondon told the students that her ministry wants quality teachers to graduate from the institution.

She told the students that they are there neither to mark time, nor to kill time.

“You are here to study and study hard so that you will deserve the qualification that you will get from SITE.

“This is a crucial time in teacher education in Seychelles. All of us have to put our heads and hearts together, to create the synergy that will bring SITE to greater heights. We can only do this through collaborative hard work and productive teamwork,” the minister said.

She said that SITE needs good, hard working and responsible students who give priority to their studies, it needs a strong team of dedicated and committed staff who believe in nation building and are conscious of their role and influence on society.

Minister Mondon also said the institute will be hosting various full-time and part-time courses for both pre-service and in-service teachers so as to produce quality educators.

Noting that capacity building is needed at the institution so it can deliver quality programmes, Minister Mondon said her ministry will invest in the professional development of lecturers of SITE in line with the national needs in teacher education and will place lots of emphasis on academic and professional standards.

The Minister of Education also had a word of reflection for staff members of the institute: “SITE, being the sole national teacher training institution, you have to be alert and attentive to national and societal issues, because all those external factors influence the education that we are providing for our children. You must be aware of the various reforms that the ministry is implementing and strengthen the link with schools, Centre for Curriculum Assessment and Teacher Support (CCATS), Inspectorate, Schools Division and other partners in education. There will be challenges, but our determination to succeed will ensure we stay on course.”

She concluded by reminding all present that the reputation of SITE is in their hands. “We can make it the prestigious institution that it deserves to be by believing in its mission and committing ourselves totally towards the achievement of its goals. I urge you all, be a flag- waving patriot of SITE,” said the minister.

SITE, which came into effect on January 1, 2014, has been mandated with the provision of validated teacher training programmes from Certificate to Bachelor Degree on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

It is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education in partnership with the School of Education and Language Studies (SOELS) of the University of Seychelles.

SITE, which has been established in accordance with the appropriate provisions of the Tertiary Education Act (2011), is housed at the location presently occupied by the School of Education and Language Studies (SOELS).

This year, SITE will offer the following validated teacher training programmes:

• Diploma in Education

• Advanced Diploma in Education

• Post-Graduate Certificate in Education

• Bachelor in Primary Education

• Bachelor Secondary Education in Mathematics, Geography and History.

SITE will also be engaged in the continuous professional development of existing teachers in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

SOELS will continue to offer the Bachelor of Arts (English) and Licence de Français.

SITE will explore and implement strategic partnerships with other teacher training institutions regionally and internationally to enhance its profile and provide opportunities for the on-going professional development of its staff.

It will also explore and implement alternative modes of delivery of the teacher training programmes in line with the principle of lifelong learning to improve access to teacher teaching programmes.

Minister Mondon presenting the World Book of Values to Mrs Jules