Eight TVET teachers set to leave for three-month training in China |10 May 2023
The teachers in a souvenir photograph with guests after receiving their travel documents (Photo: Louis Toussaint)
Eight technical and vocational education training teachers will be leaving Seychelles later this week to follow a three-month training in four Chinese colleges.
Yesterday, the teachers received their flight tickets from Education Minister Justin Valentin and the chargé d'affaires of the Chinese embassy, Mu Jianfeng, during a short ceremony at the ministry’s headquarters in Mont Fleuri.
The event, held in the minister’s conference room, was also attended by principal secretary for educational services Merna Eulentin, principal secretary for education sector development John Lesperance and the eight teachers.
The technical and vocational education training (TVET) teachers come from different secondary schools in Seychelles and they are Arinette Adidi, Steve Joseph and Marc Mathiot from Beau Vallon secondary, Ralph Pool and Wolfgang Germain from Praslin secondary, Raymond Jumaye of Mont Fleuri secondary, Marie-Anniel William from Anse Royale secondary and Lucille Fostel from Anse Boileau secondary.
They will follow training at four different colleges ‒ Xianyang Vocational and Technical College (construction technology), Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College (food technology), Shaanxi Institute of Technology (digital technology) and Zhejiang International Maritime College (fisheries).
The programme of studies will cover the history and general introduction of the Chinese TVET education, how to formulate curriculum from standards and practical training needs, how to design detailed modules, Chinese TVET pedagogy and how to design and manage assessment tools.
The training is jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Education and the Chinese government under a memorandum of understanding signed last December.
The two countries said other than enhancing their vocational teaching skills, the training will also promote cultural and educational exchange between China and Seychelles and deepen the friendship between the two nations.
Speaking at yesterday’s handing over ceremony, Mr Mu Jianfeng said education is a very important sector that is nurturing the future generation.
“Teachers are the mentors of the next generation, your role is very important and China pays great attention to vocational education and this is why the training will help a lot in increasing your knowledge and capabilities in TVET,” he said.
For his part, PS Lesperance said the outcome of the project is expected to support the curriculum development of the newly founded National Technical School and improve the curriculum of professional centres.
“After the MoU, things moved really fast, programmes and plans are being put in motion as we see. This, in a way, is showing that vocation and technical subjects are in fact as important as academic subjects,” said PS Lesperance.
He also highlighted how this training would come in handy when the new TVET school opens in Seychelles.
“The new TVET school will be taking in secondary four and five (S4 and S5) students, training them in vocational subjects, and the teachers who will attend the training will be helping us upon their return,” he concluded.
The eight teachers are expected to leave this coming Friday, May 12, and start their course from May 15 to August 6, 2023.