Seychelles is to benefit from a €3 million grant for the period 2012-2016 from the European Union (EU) to prepare and implement a medium-term strategy for the education sector. 

The signing for the grant took place yesterday afternoon at the Maison Quéau de Quinssy between the head of delegation of the EU to Victoria, Alessandro Mariani, and Jeanette D’Offay, special adviser to the minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Present at the ceremony were Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Paul Adam, the principal secretary for Education Merida Delcy, British high commissioner Lindsay Skoll and the French chargé d’affaires, Bernard Mazairet.

The grant has been made at a very opportune time when the Seychelles government seeks to meet the labour market demands for the country’s economic development. 

Mr Mariani said the education sector plays a pioneering role in the country’s economic development and the EU is pleased to be supporting Seychelles in linking education to the productive sectors.

He said Seychelles and the EU enjoy excellent relations, which must be nurtured.  
“Education is the engine for growth and it is important that we match what students learn at school with what they obtain in adult life from the country’s economic development,” he said.
The medium-term education 2012-16 strategy, according to Ms Delcy, also covers the management system, information sharing and capacity building. 

She said the programme has been elaborated between the Institute of Educational Planning of Unesco and the Ministry of Education.

It will take into account existing relevant actions that need to be implemented under the Education Reform Action Plan.

The main expected outcome of the support is a coherent strategy for the education sector that would underpin the specific human resource requirements of the country. 

It is hoped that it will also equip the Ministry of Education with the necessary skills and capabilities in facing future challenges. 

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