SITE’s graduation 2022 |12 August 2023

Mrs Banane receiving her trophy from President Ramkalawan

Julie Banane wins President’s Cup

By Patrick Joubert

Julie Banane is the recipient of the President’s Cup for being the outstanding student of the Seychelles Institute for Teacher Education (SITE) for the year 2022.

The 37-year-old graduate was among 218 full-time and part-time students who graduated yesterday afternoon during a ceremony held by the institution at the International Conference Centre Seychelles (ICCS).

The students had successfully completed their studies in certificate in childcare and development and certificate in education for teacher assistant. There were also diploma courses for early childhood education, primary education, and primary with semi-specialisation in maths, science, Creole, French, social studies, technology and enterprises, arts, health and physical education, and secondary with specialisation in history, geography, maths, English, French and science. There was also an Advanced Diploma in Education.

Mrs Banane was presented with her cup by the head of state, President Wavel Ramkalawan in the presence of ministers, senior management of the Ministry of Education, SITE board members, directors of professional centres, SITE’s staff and graduates, sponsors, families and invited guests.

“I am overjoyed. It was not an easy journey but I managed to balance my studies with family life, since I have children. At the end of the day when you know your priority, your target and mission and with the support of your entourage, nothing is impossible. I gave my all to reach where I am today,” said Mrs Banane, who noted that she has not planned anything yet but was looking forward to a bright future as a teacher with the Ministry of Education.

She graduated with a Diploma in Education after four years at the institute. Apart from the President’s Cup, she also received cash prizes from different sponsors including a laptop sponsored by the Office of the President, a government’s scholarship, a trophy from SITE and a tablet offered by Minister Justin Valentin, who was absent.

Prior to joining SITE, Mrs Banane who has a 13-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter, was an occupational therapy technician at the Ministry of Health. Prior to that she worked as an assistant teacher at the Glacis primary school from August 2017 to end of 2018.

“It was only when I conceived my second child that I was inspired to become a teacher. I do not know how it came about but I think it must have been a calling. Being a teacher I feel myself much closer to my children,” Mrs Banane said.

Among the graduates, 41 completed their studies on a full-time basis, 51 completed a certificate programme on a part-time basis, 55 were in-service teachers who received diploma certificate in early childhood education and another group of 61 in-service teachers received their diploma in primary education with semi-specialisation.

The best academic performers were Kelly Agathine (Advance Diploma in Education), Melissa Uzice (Certificate in Childcare Development), Shela Esther (Certificate for Teacher Assistant), Julie Banane (Diploma in Education-Primary), Christabella Govinden (Diploma in Education- Early Childhood), Lucie Florine (Diploma in Early Childhood-inservice), Karen Port-Louis (Diploma in Education Primary-Technology and Enterprises), Philip Mousbe (Diploma in Education Primary-The Arts), Brigitte Cesar (Diploma in Education Primary - Health and Physical Education), Marvelle Lesperance (Diploma in Education Primary - Mathematics, Science and Creole), Marie-Helene Hemitier (Diploma in Education Primary - English, French and Social Studies), Hilary Ernesta (Diploma in Education Secondary – Mathematics), Hanelle Ah-Kong (Diploma in Education Secondary – Mathematics), Cindy Ultsch Unrah (Diploma in Secondary Education - French),  Samuel Marie (Diploma in Secondary education - Science) and Marie-Elle Nizeyimana (Diploma in Education Secondary - English).

The best professional practice award went to Allessandra Arrigo (Diploma – Primary Education), Maria Revera (Diploma in Education - Early Childhood) and Hilary Ernesta (Diploma in Education Secondary). Hanelle Ah-Kong won the Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education Award while Marguerita Aglae and Neil Mathiot won the SAREP award for in-service teachers and best male award respectively.

In her opening remarks, SITE director, Luciana Lagrenade, said the target to localise the teaching profession, which dates back to 1957, since the time of the Teacher Training College, has been an ever elusive one with the social and economic transformations the world over and in the country. This has led to the creation of new professions creating a bigger challenge, attracting less young people to the teaching profession.

She noted that one of SITE’s biggest challenges remains the low intake of trainees especially from the S5 graduates cohorts, coupled with applicants having difficulty meeting the entry criteria and a number of important IT and internet-related infrastructure challenges.

“We endeavour with the development of our new strategic plan for the years 2023 to 2027, we will have a sound plan to address those deficiencies,” Mrs Lagrenade said.

Addressing the graduates on their achievements, Mrs Lagrenade said, “your graduation today is testimony to your accomplishment of each and every criterion that needed to be attained to subsequently be conferred this teaching qualification. My plea to you is that when you get to the schools, you operationalise this qualification. After this graduation ceremony, your decision on how you will contribute to the future development of this country we all love so much, will depend on only you”.

In her vote of thanks on behalf of all graduates, Marie-Elle Nizeyimana said they will stay committed to their graduate pledge, done earlier, to give the best to their learners given that they are more ready than before they started their training. The ceremony which started with a reflection by lecturer Genevieve Andre, was also marked with a poem by a fellow graduate and entertainment by SITE Choir.

The graduation ceremony was also first and last for SITE director, Mrs Lagrenade, who has tendered her resignation after a year in the post. She joined the learning institution in February 2022. She was presented with a token of appreciation during the ceremony.