Teachers attend ethics workshop |21 February 2023

PS Eulentin addressing the gathering

A group of teachers specialising in Personal, Social and Careers Education (PSCE) and Religious Education are taking part in a workshop on the Ethics Education project, organised by a number of organisations including the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

The five-day workshop, which officially opened yesterday at the University of Seychelles, is an opportunity for some 20 teachers from different schools on Praslin and La Digue who are being trained for the pilot phase to learn more about the importance of ethics education in today’s globalised world to engage with experts in this field.

With the support of other organisations who are collaborating to realise the week-long workshop, namely, Arigatou International, the Guerrand-Hermès Foundation for Peace, the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity and the KAICIID International Dialogue Center, the focus will be on strengthening the concept of ethics, intercultural and interfaith understanding in Global Citizenship Education (GCED), and will allow participants the chance to share perspectives and explore strategies for promoting ethical values and principles GCED.

Principal secretary for education, Merna Eulentin, officially opened the workshop during a brief ceremony yesterday morning, in the presence of members of the National Assembly.

PS Eulentin stated that this workshop comes at a crucial time as one of the ministry’s first priorities is to establish a values-based institution with the ultimate objective of achieving a responsible and disciplined society.

“Ethics education is the focal point at this critical untimely topic, it is a mean to strengthen education programmes that foster ethical values in an inter-cultural learning context,” she said.

Furthermore, she added how this initiative aligns well with the Sustainable Development Goal 4.7, which aims to promote a culture of peace and non-violence global and democratic citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity.

Facilitator Suchith Abeyewickreme from Arigatou International in his keynote address shared that the need for ethics education is due to the fact that the world is increasingly becoming global and diversity has become more noticeable and accepted.

“When we talk of ethics education we are not talking about philosophical study of ethics, we are talking about creating spaces for children. We want to go on a journey with you to help empower our children,” Mr Abeyewickreme said.

“When we go into our classrooms we see children of different backgrounds, even amongst our teachers we see the diversity and it’s something we need to engage in. We cannot ignore it” said Mr Abeyewickreme.

In concluding, he noted that his observations in that Seychelles has great potential, and by initiating a workshop of this purpose he hopes to assist in bringing sensitivity, empathy and care back into education.

Giving details about what the workshop is targeting, senior education officer Erica Derjacques-Inacio noted that “ethics education is a unique approach” concerning the way things are done towards a society where harmony reigns.

The opening ceremony comprised a reflection and song by three students, as well as a poem written by Ruben Lespoir which was recited by Betty-Mai Sofa.

Diane Larame

Photos by Louis Toussaint