Nine Seychellois teachers received their ticket for a teacher training course at the Alliance Française de Cavilam in Vichy in the Auvergne region of France for one month.

The small ceremony took place at the Ministry of Education in the presence of the Minister for Education Dr Justin Valentin, the Ambassador of France to Seychelles Dominic Mas, the director of the Alliance Française of Seychelles Emily Motu and the secretaries principals Merna Eulentin and John Lesperance.

As part of continuing education, these nine French teachers benefit from training grants co-financed by the Alliance Française and the French Embassy in the Seychelles. Trainees work in secondary schools, private or public, at the Alliance française, at the Seychelles Tourism Academy or at Lakademi Kreol. They all want to improve and diversify their teaching practices.

For 4 weeks, from August 1 to 26, teachers will discover a program dedicated to classroom practices and pedagogical reflection. They will be able to benefit from the latest educational resources and learn about new classroom practices. The training modules will allow them to develop their skills around themes such as: the teaching and teaching of French, the intercultural approach, motivation to learn, evaluation, media and social networks, pedagogy differentiated, cultural practices, etc.

Beyond the training modules, the teachers will meet specialists to discuss topics of general interest and publishers to discover the latest news in the field of French and the most recent teaching works.

Teachers from all over the world take part in these educational meetings every year. While being immersed in French society, the international atmosphere of the course makes it possible to create bridges between the different cultures of each country and the associated teaching practices; it promotes links between players in the teaching of French throughout the world.

Minister Valentin thanked the French government through Ambassador Mas for being able to allow Seychellois teachers to travel. “Recently we celebrated the French National Day where Ambassador Mas emphasized the continued collaboration between Seychelles and France. At this point I admit that he is a man who keeps his words. In a few days our teachers will go to France and have the objective of strengthening the teaching, more precisely the use of French in the Seychelles. I would like to thank the French Ambassador and the members of the Alliance Française for their support. I am convinced that the teachers will benefit from this great experience and once back, they will share what they have learned with their colleagues”.

Minister Valentin encouraged the teachers to take advantage of this experience in order to deepen their knowledge and satisfy their curiosity.

Ambassador Mas pointed out that with the resumption of cooperation activities, the French Embassy and the Alliance Française wished to make a greater effort than usual for the pedagogical refresher course for Seychellois teachers in French. “The latter regularly need to learn about educational innovations and new methods. They also need to talk with their colleagues about their experiences, about how they relate to students in this changing educational world. The Covid did not allow their exchanges for almost two years and we decided to send these teachers to France to recharge their batteries, in total immersion in a beautiful province in France in the city of Vichy and to be in contact with d other French-speaking teachers. »

Ambassador Mas also reiterated his support to the Ministry of Education for the promotion of one of our national languages. “I am convinced that the defense of the Creole language also involves the defense of French. Defending the French language in the Seychelles is not a war of one language against another language, it is rather a struggle to preserve linguistic diversity. And behind the linguistic diversity has been preserved your and our cultural diversity. This is the fight of the Francophonie”.

Ambassador Mas also mentioned other promotional actions through culture, communication and sport. The Ambassador thus mentioned the prospect of having volunteers from Reunion Island who would be made available to the Ministry of Education to organize French clubs and extracurricular activities in Seychellois schools, for the benefit of French learners. “We renew our availability to support the efforts of the government and the Ministry of Education of the Seychelles to teach and promote French and to better disseminate the French-speaking cultures from which Creole is derived”, recalled the ambassador.

Words to teachers

Williana Cassime, teacher at the Academy of Tourism tells us that she is very honored to achieve this training. “This training represents for me a moment to perfect myself in my profession as a teacher. At the same time, I want to welcome new techniques because it will be a fairly intense course in class”.

Marilia Barra, French teacher at the Independent School and she also works part-time at the Alliance Française des Seychelles. “This training will help me deepen my knowledge and as we are in a new era, it will help me learn new techniques”.

Daniella Joubert, deputy director and French teacher at the Pointe Larue school and also teaches French part-time at the Alliance Française. “In this profession, there are always new things to learn, so I think this internship will help me to train myself better, to learn new things that I can share with my other colleagues. »

Lucie Tranquille is also a French teacher at the Académie du Tourisme and adds that this training will help her deepen her knowledge of French.

Joycy Arnephy is the only primary school French teacher who was chosen. She is also head of language at the primary school in Plaisance. “This training represents a great opportunity for me. I will be able to increase my knowledge in the subject and then share it with others”.

Brenda Andimignon is Head of Department at Ecole Rivière Anglaise Secondary. For her, this training will be an upgrade for her work. “I hope to have more baggage on how to better support my colleagues in my department”.

Margaret Sinon is Head of Department at Ecole Mont Fleuri Secondary. “This training will be a linguistic bath for me and will also help me to develop more the French language and improve my French and also improve the way I interact with my colleagues at school.

Erina Rose is a teacher at Belonie Secondary School and is also a part-time teacher at the Alliance Française des Seychelles. “I see that this training will help us more in teaching French and also in improving the language itself. I am very happy to have been chosen. “.

Ronia Anacoura is also among the scholarship recipients but she was unfortunately absent during this activity.

Source: Seychelles Nation