Three questions on education

09.10.2010

President James Michel must be congratulated for the high priority he attaches to quality education. The Ministry of Education must also be congratulated for opening new schools.

The people of Seychelles must be justifiably proud that we are rated 2nd out of 53 African nations in human development, according to the Ibrahim Index of African Governance.
However, I would like to pose three questions:

1: To what extent is our educational policy linked to an active manpower policy?
2: To what extent are we educating our people to realise that, in a society, citizens who claim privileges must also seriously assume their civic responsibilities?

3: Is there at the moment a pro-active policy to promote politeness, “savoir faire” and “savoir vivre” in our daily life?
A few days ago, I was on the road by the Glacis beach in discussion with a group of fishermen, when a speedy Tata bus caused a group of school children to jump across the road and abruptly pass between me and the fishermen.

The incident would have gone unnoticed until an elderly fisherman shouted at the children: “La zot tap sa msye san menm dir en bonzour ni en pardon.”

This remark, made spontaneously, by this ageing gentleman certainly provided me with “food for thought” that day.

James R. Mancham