School leavers learn of local university studies option |14 February 2018

Students who have completed their advanced level studies in 2017 with a total of 12 to 17 academic points qualify for a full scholarship to study locally while those who wish to study abroad will be on a part financed basis.

They were given this and other vital information during a meeting yesterday with the Agency for National Human Resource Development (ANHRD) and University of Seychelles (UniSey).

The meeting was held at the Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education (Site) auditorium and those present were past students from the School of Advanced Level Studies (Sals), Independent school and International school along with their parents.

The officer responsible for scholarship unit Amanda Denis and the senior scholarship administrator Manuella Vidot presented the government (GoS) scholarships scheme of which the main four underlying principles are to provide equal opportunity for tertiary education for all Seychellois, training must be in areas of national priority, students need to meet set criteria and scholarships are awarded subject to availability of funds.

They provided details on the point system, types of scholarships, its policy along with the bonding agreement, internship placement and entitlement prior to taking up the scholarship, priority training areas and approved venues, submission of relevant documents and the deadline which is February 28, 2018.

“The main aim of this meeting is to sensitise you about the GoS scholarship scheme, to explain the procedures and the way forward if you would like to apply for the scholarship scheme and at the same time to help you ask questions and air your queries,” said Ms Denis.

The ANHRD chief executive Nadia Lauricourt emphasised on the importance of the bonding agreement which all students awarded a scholarship must sign prior to starting the course.

The guarantor also signs the bonding agreement and is jointly liable if the student should default on the agreement.

Mrs Lauricourt said a guarantor should be a Seychellois who is financially capable of repaying the course costs in the event of breach of bond and they should not be serving a bond nor be a bond defaulter themselves.

The guarantor is allowed to guarantee no more than 2 students.

“Bond agreement is compulsory and we have to make sure that at the agency and also the student side the bonds are being signed. It is an agreement that should be respected and this year we will emphasise on the signing of the bonds as ANHRD will not be paying any fees if it is not signed by both the student and guarantor,” she said.

UniSey marketing manager Dolivette Chang-Ko led a presentation on the programmes offered at the University and the entry requirements.

She stated that although UniSey is an approved venue for tertiary training, students still opt to study abroad.

“They do not realise that UniSey is like any other university and we have programmes with other Universities worldwide,” she said.

During the meeting, students and parents raised their concern on the compulsory internship placement with the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Health depending on the field of study chosen.

Although Mrs Lauricourt stated that the students are not qualified teachers so they will be assisting the teachers in the classroom, the students felt that this was not actually the case during time of placement.

Parents were also concerned on how the child would get time to study to re-sit their exams if they are doing attachment.