Seychelles and India sign accord for new IT centre
12.02.2010
An information technology (IT) centre will be set up here next year to upgrade the skills of technicians, following an agreement between Seychelles and India.
The memorandum of understanding was signed yesterday by Education Minister Bernard Shamlaye and Indian high commissioner Asit Kumar Nag at the Ministry of Education’s conference room.
Also present were education principal secretary Jeanne Simeon, Seychelles Institute of Technology director Jean Rassool, representatives of the Information Communications Technology Department and other officials from the Ministry of Education.
After the signing, Mr Shamlaye thanked Mr Nag for helping to set up this much-needed centre.
Mr Nag said the project is part of India’s ongoing cooperation to develop Seychelles’ human resources and he hoped it will be of great benefit to the students.
Mrs Simeon said this joint venture between the two countries followed President James Michel’s visit to India in August 2005.
She said the centre will, to start with, provide part-time training for technicians and later on for IT teachers as well.
There will be three courses on offer – Diploma in IT, Advanced Diploma in IT and Diploma in Web Technology.
Mrs Simeon added that before the project starts there will be a six-month training course in India for lecturers.
She said the new centre will be based at the ex-College of the Arts building, Mont Fleuri, and all computers and other equipment needed for the courses have been given by the Indian government.
“A wing of this building has been refurbished, and soon it will be fully equipped with modern equipment to be set up by Indian technicians,” she said, adding that one classroom can accommodate up to 20 trainees.
Mrs Simeon also said a study by the National Human Resources Development Council has shown the need for such courses here.