In the National Assembly |19 July 2023

Renovation work on Vocational Training Centre well under way

The family department within the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family has given its commitment to students and parents that the new Vocational Training Centre will be operational next year.

It was the department’s principal secretary, Clive Roucou, who made the statement in the National Assembly yesterday, when answering a question tabled by proportionate member for Linyon Demokratik Seselwa, Hon. Naddy Zialor on the progress of the renovation work and the ministry’s plan for the people who will be using the centre.

PS Roucou, who was accompanying Minister Marie-Celine Zialor for Question Time, said the centre would be ready to re-integrate around 10 former students who have not followed re-skilling programmes during the past two years to be able to find new employment, as well as take in some 15 new ones who will soon be leaving the School for the Exceptional Child.

For her part, Minister Zialor informed the National Assembly that work at the centre has been under way since April 11, 2023 and the contractor had reassured her ministry that it will be completed by August.

She said they had undertaken several visits to the site and at their last visit, they noticed that some additional work needed to be done.

“We have already discussed the matter with the chief executive of the Seychelles Infrastructure Agency to identify the budget to cover the extra work. Because of that the project will probably go beyond August,” explained Minister Zialor.

With regard to the educational aspect for those using the centre, Minister Zialor informed the National Assembly that following discussions, which started last year, it has been agreed that everything related to programme or curriculum will fall under the Ministry of Education.

“They are already working on it to define the specific study programmes that will be done at the centre and the department of family will work in close collaboration with them to maintain the infrastructure,” she stated.

PS Roucou told the National Assembly that his department has had a frank, open discussion with the education ministry which is developing a curriculum that is based on the students’ interest and demands.

“It will be something comprehensive, taking into account that we want to build their capacity, and ensure their development so they can contribute towards the country,” he added.

Another question by Hon. Zialor centered on the profiling of people with special needs, which is expected to be carried out by the ministry.

The minister said they are ready in terms of preparation but need financial support to carry it out. “We have approached the finance ministry for financial support and they are looking at ways they could assist us,” she said.

According to PS Roucou, they want to carry out the profiling exercise next year and would be seeking the help of post-secondary students for data collection.

Yesterday’s sitting started with Question Time instead of Private Notice Question (PNQ) following a motion by the leader of government business, Hon. Bernard Georges, to suspend standing orders 25 and 35, which set out the order in which to take the National Assembly matters for the day, and push the PNQ to later in the day, respectively.

Two committees also presented their reports to the house, namely Committee of Government Assurances (Coga) and the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC).

Coga’s chairperson, Hon. Sylvanne Lemiel, presented two reports; the first on the visit conducted in May 2023 to two islands, namely Desroches and Coëtivy to assess the work done there based on the assurances provided to the National Assembly in October 2021. The second one covered Coga’s work from January 2022 to December 2022.

For his part, FPAC’s chairperson, Hon. Sebastien Pillay, presented three reports; the first on the committee’s work from 2021 to 2023, the second on a report about an investigation into a theft worth R347 million at the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and a third on the FA4JR (financial assistance for job retention) during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It should be noted that yesterday’s sitting was held in the presence of a group of students from the Anse Royale secondary school who were following from the gallery.

Patsy Canaya