Visual, Performing and Media Arts Colloquium |20 January 2023

Mr Andre and Minister Valentin signing the statement of engagement

First step towards a multifaceted arts education curriculum

In order to boost and support arts education in schools, the Ministry of Education (MoE) is gearing up to establish a proper Arts Curriculum and Framework in primary and secondary schools.

This will allow all learners the opportunity to access arts education throughout their schooling years as they will have the chance to develop and showcase their creativity.

A colloquium regrouping the head teachers, art teachers and artists took place yesterday at the Seychelles Institute for Teacher Education (Site) to start a conversation to ascertain the status quo of arts education in schools so that it can effectively put in place different types of interventions to move art forward. As there is much emphasis and importance on academic learning, so there must be the same enthusiasm on arts subjects being taught at school level.

A Visual, Performing and Media Arts (VPMA) working group was formed chaired by the Minister for Education, Dr Justin Valentin, and with the following members – Royston Cedras, Michel Desnousse, Kairen Madeleine, Christine Payet, Margaret Vel, Belinda Moncherry, Terry Havelock, Lester Augustin, Nicole Gamatis, Ryan Chetty, Andy Morel and Jude Ally.

Minister Valentin noted that with this colloquium his hope is that “we will be talking about arts education and together we will be making a case as to why we should engage people in changing their perception and image of arts in school. We certainly need an excellent narrative as this theme in education, especially in our local context, has often been regarded as a taboo theme. Today we take a bull by its horn, as we deal with the elephant in the room: a multifaceted arts education curriculum”.

He further noted that he subscribes to the argument advanced by the Unesco that arts education performs a critical function in the transformation of educational systems, and directly contributes towards the solution of social and cultural issues confronted by the contemporary world.

“With this principle at the core of our conversation gives us immediate reason to prescribe our intentions. We have an education system to transform, a generation to stimulate and a culture to reshape. These can only be achieved through the implementation of a coherent arts curriculum,” said Minister Valentin.

However, the minister said he cannot deny the fact that arts as a major component of learning exists in the school curriculum. “What is missing, however, is the existence of a comprehensive programme that is implemented systematically with a clear focus of what it purports to achieve and obviously an accompanied communication plan that conveys the message that (a) arts education is not inferior to academic subject matters, (b) arts builds up characters, (c) arts unites teams, and (d) arts deals with disciplinary issues.”

The secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute of Culture, Heritage and The Arts, David Andre, stated that “Education is not only about focusing on academic and competitive exams, rather it is about giving students the opportunity to be aware of and appreciate their potential, and encourage learning as a lifelong experience. When I was growing up, every single day I was involved in an activity after school and there was no time for ‘marsaye’. This is a time for us to reflect how having extra-curricular activities will help our youth. We need to have activities after school from 3pm to 5.30pm at least,” suggested SG André.

“We must be mindful that society influences education by dictating what knowledge is important. After all, education is about transmitting values, knowledge and skills to its society. It is my ultimate dream to see our young people not only educated but also cultured and intelligent,” concluded SG Andre.

Statement of Engagement

The MoE and the Seychelles National Institute of Culture, Heritage and The Arts signed a statement of engagement where they will be working in close collaboration to promote, develop, implement and showcase The Arts in the country.

The MoE aims to revive arts education in state schools through the development of a National Arts Education Framework; train teachers in specialised arts field to become trainers and in turn provide students with access to arts education; support schools with a wide range of resources; develop programmes of art manifestations in schools; develop appropriate methodologies to monitor, assess and evaluate the progress of arts education in schools; partner with other stakeholders to promote arts education in schools and make available classes.

The Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage & The Arts will on its part develop training programmes that will be used by the Minitry of Education; work alongside and advise the MoE on matters relating to the development of a curriculum framework; assist the ministry with resources and facilities that will showcase manifestations of art work by students and teachers alike and assist the MoE with workshops.

Vidya Gappy

Photos: Louis Toussaint