Follow us on:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Careers Week 2012-Show patriotism: be a nurse or teacher |28 July 2012

Careers Week 2012-Show patriotism: be a nurse or teacher

Teachers play the important role of educating our youths

Besides the pay and the honour, they reap great satisfaction from knowing they served their country in a way not all citizens could have done.

We are grateful for our men and women in uniform and they will live to tell how they stood up for Seychelles or were ready to defend their country and its people.

Though not all of us can go to the battle front, there are many other wars that need to be fought and many reading this can easily answer the battle cry, by joining nursing and teaching and being counted as true patriots who answered a national call.

This is what this feature from the Ministry of Education emphasises.
While we know who will defend us from mercenaries and pirates, the government is saying:

“Looking at the current situation in Seychelles, it makes one wonder who will teach our Minister Mondon delivering her launching addresschildren or who will take care of us when we fall sick if our youths do not join teaching and nursing.”

“We need good teachers for our educational institutions and good nurses for our hospitals and health centres,” says Minister for Education

The foregoing is a special appeal made by the Minister for Education Macsuzy Mondon during the official launch of Careers Week 2012 earlier this month.

The primary objective of Careers Week is to give students the information about careers, training and employment opportunities relating to national development.

Careers Week 2012 was celebrated under the theme Wise Choices: Life Time Careers. Commemorated by a series of activities such as open days, forum, public speaking, exhibition, among others, the objectives of the week were also to promote the national theme – Striving for Our Seychelles – which places strong emphasis on career guidance messages.

Throughout the week students were encouraged to take greater responsibility for their studies as this will have an impact on their future career choices.

Students passing powerful messages during public speaking

In addition, Careers Week is geared towards educating parents on their roles and how to better help their children to make responsible and well-informed decisions. The work of the ministry will not be possible without its key partners, hence this annual rendez-vous also serves to further strengthen partnerships between education, training and organisations.

The following feature highlights the message of Minister Mondon, carried in her official launching address and brings you the highpoints of Careers Week 2012:

Wise choices: Life time careers

The emphasis on ‘choice’ recognises that young people need to be “ready for a range of options” to be prepared “to take responsibility for their future progress and success after the end of compulsory education”.

Students viewing Careers Guidance exhibition during the week’s activities

“Challenges and competition are part of today’s society and, therefore, good career planning and choices will guide you to do what you want to do in life,” said Minister Mondon when addressing the youths.

Excerpts from the official address to launch Careers Week 2012 by Minister Mondon:

Message to students

Make your studies your priority and be responsible students.

“Choosing a career is not always easy. Indeed, it can be a challenging and daunting process, as the decision you make will have a significant impact on the other aspects of your life.

The National Human Resources Development Council opens its doors to students during Career Open Day

Career choices are generally conditioned by a number of factors, including your level of education, personal values, social beliefs, among several others, but in the end, your own set of values plays a key role and is a determinant factor in the choice that you make.  This is why you need to be purposeful in the way you live and study so that you will develop into self-motivated and self-directed learners, who will accomplish your career dreams.  Above all, you need a good set of values and the right attitude in order to enjoy the fruits of a successful career – irrespective of the career you may choose.

This year’s national theme – Striving for our Seychelles – says it all.  It is our President’s call for you too, students – a call for you to give your maximum in all that you do, for yourselves and your country.  It is about promotion of good values, attitude and hard work as prerequisites for success, among other qualities required for a successful career.

My message to you all is to focus on your studies. Make your studies your priority and be responsible students. You also need to adopt healthy lifestyles and stay away from bad influences. You have everything in place for you to get a good education.  All we ask from you is your full commitment to your studies.  Make the most of the numerous learning opportunities and facilities available for your personal growth and development.  Our expectation is that from being diligent students, your transition to become hard working employees and entrepreneurs will be smooth and natural.”

Message to youths
Teaching and nursing - noble professions

During her address, the minister made a special call to the youths to seriously consider careers in Teaching and Nursing, two areas which are in desperate need of strengthening in terms of human resources capacity.

Happy health professional students in their new campus at North East Point with Minister Mondon

“We all have high expectations for the education of our children or for the quality of health care provided to our citizens.  However, to meet these high expectations, it follows that we need good teachers for our educational institutions and good nurses for our hospitals and health centres.

However, looking at the current situation in Seychelles, it makes one wonder who will teach our children or who will take care of us when we fall sick if our youths do not join teaching and nursing.

My special appeal, therefore, is for more able students to take up careers in teaching and nursing – what we consider as noble professions.

Nurses pledging. There’s a need for more nurses

For those of us who can no longer aspire to step in and do it ourselves, the least we can do is to encourage our young people, to refrain from feeding them myths and support them in their decisions to become teachers and nurses.”

Message to parents

Help and support our children to be what they want to be.

The minister also had a strong message for parents in view of their important role in helping their children make sound career choices:

“Parents have an obligation to guide their children and help them choose a career, but I strongly urge parents to avoid forcing a particular career on their children or choosing one for them.  As responsible parents, let us help and support our children to be what they want to be, instead of trying to live our dreams through them,” said the minister.

Message to employers
 
Be more responsive to the demands of institutions

“Employers are key partners in our endeavour to build a strong workforce, in which our local workers stand out as the pillars in all sectors.  Thus, I also call on employers to be more responsive to the demands of institutions for work placements, for it is in the workplace that students will get practical experience.  To get experience one must not only work but must also be given opportunities to develop in the workplace and be productive.

A teacher sharing skills with technical students

Therefore, organisations must ensure that there are proper induction programmes for students on work attachment, that work based experience is truly meaningful for the students, in order to create enabling work environments and help them contribute their share in the creation of a strong workforce for the country.

Employers should also actively seek to familiarise themselves with the training programmes and competencies expected of the students when they complete their training, so that they become more realistic in their expectations of the new graduates and provide them with the necessary nurturing and support.”


The way forward

Promoting careers all year round

The Ministry of Education is paying special attention to the development of careers education and counselling in all educational institutions and, as part of the curriculum review, provision is being made for an earlier start of careers education.
The ministry will also intensify its work to continue strengthening partnership in order for training to be more responsive to labour market needs.

» Back to Archive