Science, Technology and Innovation clubs launched in schools   |11 November 2021

Viewing of a D-STI project (Photo: Thomas Meriton)

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has launched Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) clubs in schools across the country to commemorate World Science Day yesterday.

It was the principal secretary for Education Sector Development, John Lesperance, who had the honour of launching the STI clubs in schools, in a short ceremony held in the science lab at the Belonie secondary school, Bel Ombre, yesterday morning.

The launch means that all science clubs in schools have now been transformed into STI clubs.  

Schools without STI clubs will be supported and encouraged to form such clubs for the students.

The theme for the World Science Day is ‘Building climate –ready communities’, which highlights the important role of STEM as the driving force to engage the school communities and the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues to seek for solutions to some of the problems the world is faced with.  

STEM education is perceived as an approach from which curriculum developers and implementers capture the essence of knowledge development in schools through integration of subjects through science. 

The launch was a collaboration between the ministry and the Seychelles National Commission for Unesco, the division of Science, Technology and Innovation (D-STI) in the Ministry of Investment, Entrepreneurship and Industry (MIEI) and the National Science, Technology and Engineering and Mathematic (STEM) committee in the ministry.

Present at the launch ceremony were the principal secretary for education services Dr Odile de Commarmond; the head teacher of Belonie secondary school, Medge Nancy; teachers; students and other MoE and MIEI senior officials.

In his speech to launch the STI clubs in schools, PS Lesperance stated that as from now on, the celebration of the ‘World Science Day’ will acquire national consideration and recognition by schools and the wider community.  

He noted that through STEM, students are stimulated to investigate and engineer solutions to problems, and construct evidence-based explanations of real-world phenomena.

PS Lesperance also highlighted the success, through STEM, of the participants of the ‘Post-Covid Challenge’ projects and the recent achievements of ‘Team Seychelles’ in the First Global Challenge projects organised by the former National Institute for Science, Technology and Innovation (Nisti).

He noted that the success reveals that STEM has moved beyond simple test performance to focus on developing higher level thinking skills by connecting classroom learning to the real world solutions.

He said that the ministry and partners are committed to developing project-based learning to provide students with the required support and voice to change the world.

He encouraged more girls to take STEM subjects ultimately taking part in the Global Challenge.

The ministry will celebrate the ‘World Science Day’ every November 10 and the best science projects in the schools will be projected during the celebration. 

In her testimony, S3 student Adelle Bristol, the vice-chairperson of Belonie secondary school’s former Science club (formed in February 2019) now the STI club, said that the club will carry on to maintain the school’s medicinal garden and also to work on their proposal to erect, in the school, a solar powered digital clock, including an automated bell, for students’ punctuality.

For his part, Xavier Estico, in charge of the D-STI, gave a brief history of the STEM programme in the country. He said the programme has been a success and that MIEI will work with MoE to consolidate the achievements of the STEM programme in the country.

A message for ‘World Science Day’ from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) was also read for the occasion by the assistant secretary general of the Seychelles National Commission for Unesco, Elaine Naiken.

Following a vote of thanks by STI Club member Yuhagayathri Mahan (S3), viewing of a D-STI project and photo souvenir of the club members and guests, the celebration of the International Science Day finished further down at the Perseverance North primary school with a tour of the school’s ‘An Mouvman’ organic garden with the guidance of head teacher Bernadette Maria, students and staff.

The garden is an initiative of GEMPLUS to equip and empower single headed homes with skills and knowledge to develop their own gardens for sustainability and secondly as an educational resource for teachers and pupils for consolidation purposes.

Patrick Joubert