Education hosts first multi-cultural event for teachers |16 September 2019

The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development employs a large number of expatriate teaching staff from over 12 countries at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

In a bid to celebrate this multiculturalism within the education system, the department of education hosted its first multi-cultural get-together on Friday evening at its headquarters at Mont Fleuri.

The initiative is also one of the events being held by the department in the lead up to Teacher’s Week, which is celebrated in October.

Participating countries included Madagascar, Zambia, Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, Mauritius, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, India, Ghana and Guinea. Seychellois teachers also made an appearance.

The event kicked off with a parade wherein participants dressed in the traditional clothes that best represented their respective countries, raised their flags high and some even showed off their dance moves.

Each country was then able to speak about their countries and, like the Ghanaian teachers, even spoke of the historical links which tie their countries to Seychelles.

In her opening remarks, the principal secretary for early childhood, primary and secondary education, Dr Odile De Commarmond, noted that expatriate teachers are valued additions to and appreciated by the education department.

Indeed, the main objective of the multicultural evening was to, first and foremost, express the department’s appreciation and gratitude for its non-Seychellois teaching staff that are an integral and indispensable part of its teacher workforce.

“We want to tell you that we value your contribution in the education of our youth and in our country’s economic development,” Ps De Commarmond highlighted

The event continued on throughout the evening with various poetry, dance and musical performances depicting the traditions and culture of each country.

And with food being a universal language, this cultural diversity was further explored through the countries’ traditional and popular food.

The Kenyans had brought their popular street food called mandazi accompanied by chapati, mahamri, beans and coconut stew and bengu, Sri Lanka came with undu wal, traditional pancakes and coconut roti while our neighbours, the Mauritians, were making their famous farata on the spot.

Another table which was receiving a lot of attention was that of the Zambians who were serving up fried caterpillars, African polony (ham), chilemba beans, sweet potatoes in peanut and their staple food called nasima.

The event has been described by most as a great start and initiative which the education department should continue.

The accompanying photos show some highlights of the event.