Current Education Landscape in Seychelles

1. Current Higher Education
Landscape in Seychelles
Ms. Dazielle Laporte
Principal Quality Assurance Officer
Seychelles Qualifications Authority
April 2022

2. Introduction
• In 2014, Seychelles achieved all six of its goals outlined in the Education for All: to improve early
childhood care and education: to ensure that all children have access to free compulsory primary
education; to meet the learning needs of young people and adults; to achieve 50 percent of young
people and adults; to achieve gender equality in education by 2015; and to improve all aspects of
the quality of education, particularly in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.
• All government schools, from Primary 1 to Secondary 5 falls under the responsibility of the
Ministry of Education.
• Seychelles has a comprehensive, integrated, inclusive and co-educational education and training
system offered at the following five defined stages of Education Act (2004) which are: formal early
childhood education (crèche), primary education, secondary education, post-secondary or non-
university tertiary education and training, and university tertiary education.

3. Background of Educational System in
Seychelles
• Mid-1800s: Formal education began in with the opening of Roman Catholic and Anglican
mission schools.
• 1944: The government took over the responsibility of these schools.
• 1970: The government opened a technical college and the country had a supply of locally trained
teachers and was able to establish more schools.
• 1981: As one of the government’s strategy, all state schools became free and compulsory for
children in grade one through nine. (current Primary 1 to Secondary 3)
• After completed grade nine, students attended the National Youth Service (NYS) where they
received training in academics and life skills for a period of 2 years.
• 1991: The introduction of Secondary 4.
• 2000: The introduction of Secondary 5.

4. Background of Educational System in
Seychelles (cont’d)
• 2000: Opening of the University of Seychelles American Institute of
Medicine (USAIM).
• 2009: University of Seychelles (UniSey) opened its doors.
• 2010: Disbanded of the USAIM.
• 2015: UniSey was accredited by the Seychelles Qualifications Authority
(SQA).

5. Public Formal Education: Early childhood
(crèche)
• Currently not compulsory and free in all government schools.
• For children aged 3 to 5 years old.
• Children first learn to read and write using the native language.
• A lot of emphasis has been put in the development of early childhood over the years.
• Falls under the responsibility of Institute of Early Childhood and Development (IECD).

6. Public Formal Education: Primary Education
• Primary education in Seychelles incorporates grades 1 to six and caters for children aged 6 to 12 years.
• There are 24 primary state schools.
• Primary education is compulsory and free in public schools.
• The primary school curriculum emphasises mostly core subjects such as English, Maths and Science, and other
selected subjects that may include physical education, social studies, languages, or arts and crafts.
• In all state schools, subjects are taught using the three national languages: English, French and Creole.
• Students start learning French in Primary 2.
• Formal exams are given from Primary 2 with the introduction of National Examination at the end of the year.
• To proceed to secondary school, students have to do a common National examination prepared by the Ministry of
Education.

7. Secondary education
• Secondary school education takes place in regional secondary schools, and comprises of
grades secondary 1 to 5 which are compulsory throughout.
• There are 11 government secondary schools and they are free.
• Important examinations at secondary level: Coordinated exams in S3, Selection exams in S4
and IGCSE and National exams in S5.

8. Upper Secondary Education
• The School of Advanced Level Studies (SALS) is the state school that offers
academic courses to students.
• S5 leavers who meet the School's criteria, study for free. However, mature
students have to pay a fee.
• SALS offers a 2 year full-time GCE A-level courses after which the students,
if successful, may apply for government scholarship and proceed for further
studies either overseas or at the University of Seychelles.

9. Non-university tertiary education and training
institutions
• There are 10 registered non-university tertiary education and training institutions in the
Seychelles. These include: Seychelles Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture (SIAH),
Seychelles Institute of Arts and Design (SIAD), Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA),
Seychelles Institute of Technology (SIT), Seychelles Business Studies Academy (SBSA),
Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA), National Institute of Health and Social Services
(NIHSS), Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education (SITE), The Guy Morel
Institute(TGMI); and Seychelles Institute for Distance and Open Learning (SIDOL).
• Courses on offer varies from a Certificate Level to an Advanced Diploma Levels.
• The programmes and Institutions are validated and accreditated, respectively, by the SQA.
• They are mostly vocational and technical school, that is, they are training and preparing the
students for the world of work.

10. Non-university tertiary education and training
institutions (cont’d)
• Institutions are mandated to offer education and training in an area of
national economic development such as agriculture – offers by SIAH,
nursing – by NIHSS.
• Students have to buy their own uniforms and stationaries. However, full time
students receive a monthly allowance from the government.
• The NIHSS and the STA fall under responsibility of the Ministry of Health
and Ministry of Tourism respectively.
• All the tertiary education and training institutions are state owed.

11. University Tertiary Education and training
• The University of Seychelles, or UniSey in short, only university in the Seychelles. It
was established on 17 September 2009.
• The University has two main campuses: at Anse Royale and Mont Fleuri.
• It offers courses from the Diploma level to Masters Level.
• UniSey generates its own funds, and one of its main source of funding is
government scholarships offered to local students.
• UniSey offers some courses in partnership of some international recognised and
accredited institutions, namely: University of Mauritius, University of London and
L’universite de la Reunion.

12. Formal Education: Private Providers
• There are around 7 private schools, six on Mahe and one on Praslin, which provide
for children aged 3 to 12 years.
• These include: Independent School, International School, Vijay International School
Praslin, Trotters Stop, Montessori School, The Children’s House, and Ecole
Francaise.
• Independent School, International school, Vijay International School Praslin and
Ecole Francaise also provide secondary 1 to 5 education.
• Advanced Level courses are offered by Independent School, International school,
and Vijay International School Praslin. Students receive a monthly allowance from
the government as well.

13. Regulatory Framework
• There are two main regulatory bodies in Seychelles that regulate higher education. These are
the Tertiary Education Commission and Seychelles Qualifications Authority.
• The Tertiary Education Commission was established by the Tertiary Education Act (2011)
which is a comprehensive legal framework which accommodates existing providers of
education and training after secondary and provides a framework for the harmonised
organisation and development of both public and private institutions and different levels of
qualifications in line with the National Qualifications Framework, that is from level 3
(Certificate) to level 10 (PhD).
• However, as at 1st May, 2022, the Tertiary Education Commission was dissolved and the
Seychelles Qualifications Authority has absorbed some of its duties in line with its functions.

14. Regulatory Framework (cont’d)
• The Seychelles Qualifications Authority was established by an act in 2005 and its
main function is to regulate the provision of education and training nationally.
• This is done through the implementation of the national qualifications framework
(NQF) which involves the establishment of standards for qualifications and a
system of quality assurance including accreditation of providers and validation of
programmes.
• The SQA promotes and regulates the development of qualifications based on unit
standards which are linked to workplace and society requirements.

15. Qualification Framework
• The NQF is a system which describes the types of qualifications, their levels
and standards within the whole education and training system in the country.
• The SQA defines the NQF as “a framework for the development. Recognition and
award of qualifications based on standards of knowledge, skills and competence to be
acquired by learners.”

16. Qualification Framework (cont’d)
The framework:
1. establishes the regulations and principles that guide the development of
qualifications.
2. states the criteria to be met for qualifications to b recognised nationally.
3. defines the conditions for learners to be certified.
4. ss a set of policies and regulations which guides all providers of education
and training about the conditions that need to be met to operate.

17. Observation
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Education and the educational institutions
found innovative ways for keep on teaching the students during the lock down. For instance:
using the zoom and google platform, social media (WhatsApp and Facebook).
• There is a lack of programmes being offered by the tertiary education institutions. For
example: a lot of individuals are interested in hairdressing. Unfortunately, there is no such
programme being offered.

18. Conclusion
• Seychelles has made lots of progress over the years in its education system.
However, it is still faced with many challenges. One being the lack of
resources: human, finance and materials.
• The government needs to finds ways to level up the education system,
especially tertiary education and training Institutions.

19. Thank
you!