This was during a ceremony at Seychelles Polytechnic yesterday afternoon, which also marked the close of the programme a decade after it was set up.

Education, Employment and Human Resources Minister Macsuzy Mondon presented the 17 students with their letters in the presence of Social Development and Culture Minister Bernard Shamlaye and education principal secretary Merida Delcy.
Also there were Polytechnic director Joan Amade, lecturers and parents.

Addressing the students, Mrs Mondon said the ceremony is an achievement for Seychelles as the government, without hesitation, continues to invest heavily in the education sector to ensure young people are adequately equipped for their future.

And it is also of significant historical importance since it marks the close of the Manchester Twinning Programme, she added.

“The idea of a twinning programme was conceived in 1999, when the Ministry of Education embarked on a reform programme across the whole educational system – from primary to post-secondary,” she said.

Mrs Mondon added that the whole concept was to reverse the trend of Seychelles relying entirely on overseas universities for its tertiary educational needs. At the same time a larger number of students would benefit from higher education provision at a lower cost to the government.

The programme entailed students reading for the first year of their degree at the Polytechnic and then going on to the University of Manchester for their second and third year of studies, she said.

“Throughout the nine years of its existence, the Manchester Twinning Programme has proved to be a worthwhile initiative, demonstrating that the government made a wise decision and an invaluable investment,” said Mrs Mondon.

To date, 103 young professionals from seven groups of the programme are degree holders in fields ranging from finance and economics, international business, business studies, accounting and finance, to international relations, she said.

And a further 17 students from the eighth group are expected to complete their studies in Manchester in 2011.

Mrs Mondon told the new group of students to make the most of university life in Manchester, to discover new cultures and to broaden their knowledge, but to come back and work for their country.

”Your contribution will be vital for Seychelles as it forges ahead with its reform programmes,” she said.

Mrs Mondon announced that as of September this year, students who would normally meet the requirements for further studies in fields targeted by the Manchester Twinning Programme will be able to enrol for a degree in those fields with the University of Seychelles (UniSey).

She praised UniSey for being proactive and forthcoming in its approach, which is allowing it to expand its scope for training and the courses its offers. Without doubt this will ultimately bring tremendous benefits to the country’s economy.

And on behalf of the government, and of past and present students who have benefited from this partnership, she expressed sincere appreciation to the University of Manchester.

“Through our collaboration and partnership we embarked on a challenging but enriching journey that helped accelerate the process of making Seychelles a knowledge-based society,” said Mrs Mondon.

Mrs Amade congratulated the students for their success and wished them all the best in their studies.

“The team work, the high level of commitment and dedication earned the students excellent results in both semesters,” she said.

“We are pleased to note that this batch was one of the best to take part in the Manchester Twinning Programme.”

During the ceremony the best performer award was presented to Bryna Felix, who is going to pursue a degree in international relations. She has also been ranked second out of all the students who have followed the twinning programme during the last nine years.

Ms Felix received a R2,500 cash award sponsored by the Ministry of Finance.