MBA programme ‘major investment by government’
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree course in educational leadership and innovation has been a major investment by the government and the country, Education Minister Bernard Shamlaye has said.
Our education system, society and the national economy will reap the fruits of this investment with the continuing committed endeavour of those who have taken part in the programme and those they work with and influence, he added.
Mr Shamlaye was speaking on Tuesday at a ceremony at the University of Seychelles’ School of Education to award the last group of 11 school leaders who took the course with their certificates.
Present at the ceremony were Vice-President Joseph Belmont, principal secretary for education Jeanne Simeon, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Wavel Ramkalawan, vice-chancellor of UniSey Dr Rolph Payet, ex-National Institute of Education director Alex Souffe and, from Warwick University in the UK, Professor Tony Bush and lecturers Ian Abbott and David Middlewood. Also there were other officials from the Ministry of Education, parents and friends of the graduates.
Mr Shamlaye, who congratulated the graduates, said over the past two decades the government, through the Ministry of Education, has pioneered a number of initiatives to further enhance the quality of education in the country.
“Underpinning all these developments has been the strong belief that capacity building in education and education leadership is one of the crucial factors in the process of education quality improvement,” he said.
He stressed it is this conviction that gave life to and supported the eight-year project in education leadership development which started in September 2002, first with Reading University then Lincoln and, in 2007, with Warwick.
He said this programme aimed to bring about substantial improvement in school performance by promoting school-based professional development and a more hands-on style of leadership.
“The performance of schools will improve if they have quality leaders backed by appropriate and high-quality support,” said Mr Shamlaye.
He added that the project to build capacity for education management and leadership had three main aims – enhancing the capacities of all schools and other education leaders to master’s degree level; building capacity within the ex-NIE and the education ministry to deliver high-level courses in education leadership; and developing a resource base for educational leadership literature related specifically to the Seychelles context.
Mr Shamlaye called on the graduates to consider how the programme has influenced their practice and how it can continue to do so as they strive for improvement and excellence.
“Through your studies and your experience of the classroom and the school, you have become reflective practitioners who can lead your schools in striving for excellence, in innovating, in adopting strategies that respond to the needs of your students, all your students,” he said.
He also had words of appreciation for all those who were actively involved in setting up the course.
Prof Bush, who echoed Mr Shamlaye, said the eight-year programme represents a clear commitment by the government of Seychelles to improve education through enhancing the skills and capabilities of school and system leaders.
“The Seychelles government, and the Ministry of Education in particular, deserve immense credit for the vision which led to the establishment of this highly successful MBA programme,” he said.
He added that highly motivated and capable leaders are effective in determining a specific vision for their schools and putting such a vision into action by inspiring all concerned with the school to perform at higher levels.
A total of 79 out of the 83 who started the MBA course have successfully completed their studies, and most of the school leaders and support providers in the system now hold master’s degrees.
Their dissertations investigate a wide range of issues related to Seychelles’ education system and the context of education in this country.
Alongside the MA course graduates, four education specialists also enrolled on the doctorate programme in 2004 and 2005. One of these graduated in 2008 and the other three should complete their studies by the end of this year.
Three of them, together with nine other MA graduates, acted as local support tutors to the MA students. They were each presented with a certificate.
Mr Shamlaye presented a letter of appreciation to Prof Bush for expertly steering negotiations to set up the course.
Pierre Nourrice, a school leader who completed the course before his tragic death, was also honoured during the ceremony.
Annabel Hoareau from Praslin secondary school received a laptop from Mr Belmont as the graduate with the best dissertation.
On behalf of her colleagues, Mariette Esparon thanked the government and the Warwick team for their vital support during the course.