Anse Aux Pins primary school signs MoU with SIAH for farming project |04 June 2022
The signing of the agreement
Anse Aux Pins primary school has its own water harvesting system and has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Seychelles Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture for the school’s farming project.
The ceremony was attended by students, teachers, parents, members of the school council, representatives of the Seychelles Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture (SIAH) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate change and Environment (MACCE).
The water harvesting system sponsored by Airtel Seychelles consists mainly of two water collection tanks ‒ one for use by their kindergarten and a larger one for their garden. Terry Mousbe, senior programme development officer at the MACCE, said a few words on behalf of Airtel Seychelles as its representatives could not make it.
Shortly after, the guests moved to the staffroom to witness the official signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the school and SIAH for the farming project. Anse Aux Pins primary school head teacher Anne Jeremie stated how happy the school was when the director of SIAH, Maryanne Marie, embraced this project from the start.
“We appreciate that when we approached the Seychelles Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture, they welcomed this idea,” she said.
Sandra Sultan, a lecturer at SIAH, gave an address on behalf of SIAH, stating that students should be motivated at a young age to go into agriculture. “We, at SIAH, really appreciated it when Miss Anne put this suggestion before us. We are here to guide and help these students develop their skills in agriculture.” The two school leaders then signed the documents representing SIAH’s agreement to work in partnership for this project, followed by a musical performance by the students of the Eco-School club.
Head teacher Jeremie explained that the farming project is a form of therapy for certain students with specific learning difficulties. “We remove them a bit from academic classes, especially in the afternoon, for them to focus a bit more on vocational activities,” she said, adding that several instructors from SIAH will teach the students how to do different things needed in maintaining a garden.
Ms Jeremie also remarked that the initial stages of the project have already begun. “We’ve met with the lecturers, where we laid out our programmes, and now we’ve signed the agreement. Now they will start to come and do the practical with our students here.”
According to her, around 62 students from different classes will be taking part in this project. She further added that they plan to expand the project in the future. “We are starting small with these children, to try and engage them in their careers tomorrow. We want to make the children high fliers!” She mentioned that there is a lack of high achievers taking up agriculture as their career field.
The head teacher of Anse Aux Pins primary is urging the parents of the students to help the school in any way they can so as to benefit the children in their future projects.
Text & photos: Sylia Ah-Time
