Promoting cultural and educational exchanges between China and Seychelles

On March 1, 2024, a third wave of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teachers received their plane tickets to China. They will attend a two-month course at the Jiangsu Vocational Institute of Architectural Technology and Zibo Vocational Institute.

The faculty group consists of five secondary schools, namely Grand Anse Praslin, Pointe Larue, Plaisance, Anse Boileau, and English River, and one professional center, the Seychelles Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture (SIAH). The training will take place from March 6 to May 9, 2024, and they will undergo specialized training in ornamental horticulture, performing arts, sustainable development, and renewable energies.

This program is jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Education and the Chinese government under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on December 23, 2022. It aims to enhance the pedagogical skills of Seychelles’ vocational education teachers, enrich their teaching experience, promote cultural and educational exchanges between China and Seychelles, and deepen the friendship between the two nations.

Various practical teacher training and internships are also offered to these teachers. Addressing the recipients, Lin Nan, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of China to Seychelles, emphasized the importance of technical talents for the progress and development of Seychelles.

« However, I have also observed that the scarcity of technical talents impedes the country’s progress and the enhancement of people’s livelihoods. We believe that advancing vocational and technical training will produce skilled workers and foster job creation », she remarked.

« As part of the China-Africa Vocational Education Alliance, we hosted two cohorts of local teachers in China for training last year. These initiatives garnered significant success and were warmly welcomed. Additionally, we are collaborating with Seychelles to establish training facilities that will serve as a platform for aspiring students », she elaborated.

On this occasion, Minister of Education Dr. Justin Valentin recalled that since signing the memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Education and the China-Africa Professional Alliance in December 2022, 16 TVET teachers have been trained in China by the Alliance.