During 2004 emphasis will continue to be put on quality education 

The training of the country's youth through formal and vocational education will remain a priority in 2004 despite the 4 percent reduction in the Ministry of Education and Youth's budget.

Delivering his 2004 Budget Address to the National Assembly on Tuesday December 2, Vice-President James Michel said the 4 percent reduction reflected the administrative review being made throughout Government to satisfy the Macro-Economic Reform Programme (Merp) but would not affect the ongoing pursuit of excellence and provision of quality education to the country's children and youth.

"The 2004 budget allocation will provide for the consolidation of the 1998 Education  Reform, with emphasis on programmes and physical infrastructure," said Vice-President Michel, speaking in his capacity as Minister for Finance.

Where physical infrastructure for formal education is concerned, 2004 will see the continuation of construction of the new Port Glaud, Anse aux Pins and Bel Ombre schools.

On Paslin, construction of the new Baie Ste Anne School is expected to start  early next year.

As quality education is delivered by qualified teachers, the training of teachers and school leaders will continue to receive top priority.

Vice-President Michel announced the start next year of a new MBA programme for a group school managers. The programme will be delivered by the National Institute of Education (NIE).

Vice-President Michel said that the programme had been organised in acknowledgement of the importance of school leadership in the overall endeavour to provide quality education and followed the success of the School Improvement Programme.

The training of Seychellois students overseas will continue as usual with R35 million of the R151.6 million Education allocation going towards this end.

Vice-President Michel said that as at November there were 316 students studying abroad with 117 new students having left for new courses this year.

He said an exercise was also being carried out to assess the skill requirements of the country as the Government "continues to be committed to provide higher education for the young people."

On the lack of educational material caused by a shortage of foreign exchange, Vice-President Michel said next year the Government would endeavour to ensure that shortages of vital requirements for the country's progress did not happen again.

He said: "It is disturbing when we hear that students have to photocopy textbooks or there are no materials for students studying arts or stipends are paid late."

The Youth Division of the Ministry of Education and Youth will get R5.48 million which will be used for various youth development programmes.

Vice-President Michel said that following the successful piloting of the Young Citizens movement in five schools on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue, Government would support the establishment of the Young Citizens Movement in all our schools. 

Vocational training for the youth will be stepped up in 2004 in view of the need to create job opportunities for young people.

One of the institutions responsible for providing such training – the Industrial Training Centre (ITC) – will revitalise the provision of technical vocational education and training for the people, with a view to re-orient its curriculum in order to keep abreast with modern technological development and also to provide readily marketable skills to the labour market, Vice-President Michel said.

"This should provide a local workforce in areas where there is a large number of expatriates," the Vice-President said.

Vice-President Michel said that having a skilled manpower to exploit the abundant maritime resources had always been a must, given the paramount importance of fisheries to the economic development of Seychelles. 

"It is within this objective that work will start shortly on the construction of a modern Maritime Training Centre (MTC)," he said.

The project will also see Government expand the current curriculum so as to deliver training at diploma level including IMO certificates.

The MTC will also be equipped with a modern training vessel.

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