SNYA approves motion for programme to tackle behavioural problems and to increase budget for Youth Festival |26 August 2019

The Seychelles National Youth Assembly (SNYA) held a sitting on Saturday at which it approved two motions calling for a programme in educational institutions for students with behavioural problems and a second proposing an increased budget for the annual Youth Festival.

The assembly’s sitting commenced with a donation of copies of the Seychelles Constitution by lawyer Alexia Amesbury before members proceeded with their motions.

The first motion forwarded by Honourable Manuella Thomas, the member for Takamaka, proposes that the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development introduce a programme in all school institutions for students with behavioural issues to improve academic performance within public schools.

Honourable Hulio Pool seconded the motion expressing numerous reasons why such a programme would be beneficial not only to the students with behavioural problems but for other students as well, who are often disturbed by those with behavioural problems.

Several other members of the assembly pronounced themselves on the motion and there was general consensus that such a programme would also be beneficial towards improving academic performance in school institutions.

It was also proposed that such programmes are held regionally as opposed to all school institutions on account of limited resources.

Additionally, a member of the assembly suggested that a disciplinary programme at the Seychelles People’s Defence Forces (SPDF) should be re-introduced as it was effective in reforming students with behavioural problems in the past.

The motion was approved by 26 votes in favour while 2 honourables abstained and one voted against.

The second motion heard by the assembly was put forward by Honourable Jean-Luc Adrienne, the member for Anse Etoile whose motion proposed that the government considers increasing the budget for the Youth Festival organised annually by the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC) and other programmes in a bid to increase the activities available to youths.

During his intervention, Honourable Adrienne highlighted the mandate of the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC), the organisers of the Youth Festival, and noted that this year’s edition of the Youth Festival which aims to bring youths together has been deemed as ‘disappointing’ by some youths on account of inadequate promotion and marketing for the event.

“Such comments are also applicable to previous editions of the Youth Festival. Budgeting for the promotion of such an activity will serve to increase youth participation. Additionally, it is important that we remain up-to-date with today’s society and modernise the activities, with more participation from the media and stakeholders,” Honourable Adrienne noted.

Honourable Adrienne continued his intervention stating that other youth programmes under the SNYC, including Entrepreneurship, SNYA, Mentorship, Healthy Living and Values, SeYX30, Young Citizens among others need more support from the government and other sectors and therefore proposed that the ceiling budget for such programmes are reviewed to incorporate activities that are more diversified.

Honourable Adrienne further proposed that there is closer collaborations with partners and sponsors to alleviate some of the costs of the activities and programmes and that if there is budget increase, assessments and monitoring is imperative in evaluating the need for an activity and whether it addresses the needs of the youths.

The motion was seconded by Petra Volcère from Mont Fleuri secondary school and was approved by a unanimous vote.