With Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) having in 2012 declared the Seychellois population as 99.06% literate after it had conducted the ‘Seychelles Integrated Adult Learning Survey’ (SIALS) in 2008, Literacy Day is surely a day to celebrate in Seychelles.
In 2002, through its ‘Education for all’ campaign, Unesco set the target of improving the literacy rate by 50% for all countries by 2015. As by 2003 Seychelles felt that it had already attained this target, the Ministry of Education had put the bar higher and set the country’s own mark at 100%. Unesco’s findings are thus only 1% short of our literacy expectations.
The Adult Learning and Distant Education Centre (Aldec) duly marked International Literacy Day yesterday by presenting certificates to students who last year successfully followed literacy courses in its centres around the country.
The presentation ceremony, which was accompanied by poems, songs and testimonies from the proud certificate recipients, was held in the Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education (Site) auditorium at Mont Fleuri, in the presence of the Minister for Education Macsuzy Mondon and other top education officials.
As Cascade received the traditional cup offered by Minister Mondon and a cash prize from Jeanine Chung-Faye as the country’s best adult learning centre for 2014, the best performers in English, French and mathematics also received prizes.
Commenting on the theme chosen for this year’s Literacy Day – ‘Education for sustainable development’, Minister Mondon said that the success of Seychelles’ adult literacy programme contributes to place people at the centre of development.
She described the accomplishment as a victory for those who have persevered to know how to read, write and count, to the instructors who have taught them and to government which has put the programme into place.
While the education minister remarked that a lot has been accomplished in the effort to render the programme more appropriate for its beneficiaries, she insisted that the definition of literacy has changed from obtaining basic education to capacity building.
Consequently, she said, in order to better reply to adults’ needs and permit them to pursue higher education, the programme must evolve from primary level status to a secondary level one, including technology in the process.
This, she concluded, in spite of the participants currently recognised by their employers, but still following classes with the aim of gaining professional promotion or improving their social standard.
“We have accomplished a lot during the last twelve years.
However, at the same time that we celebrate our accomplishment, we know that we have a long way to go to better equip our adults for the new Seychelles that we are creating. The literacy concept continues to evolve during the years and the definition of adult education has broadened and taken a new dimension.
Today, the definition includes the capacity to read and write, to manipulate figures in different contexts; and also the capacity to produce, transmit, analyse and manage information. It also includes the ability to resolve personal and family problems, suggest solutions and participate in and contribute towards the community,” she said.
Even if the number of students attending the district centres have reduced due to the rise in literacy level, Minister Mondon has expressed the hope that more people will take the opportunity offered by Aldec’s literacy programme to pursue their education.
Programme which she has insisted is not only for adults.
During the ceremony, Unesco’s local representative Dr Marie-Reine Hoareau, read the message of the organisation’s director general for the day. In her message, Irina Bokova writes that literacy is a human right and a condition for sustainable development.
She adds that challenges remain in spite of progress in literacy around the world. Too many people remain illerate, she says, and the world cannot let this continue.
“My message is to allow all women and men to become literate and participate in their country’s development. This is essential to build a better future for all on the basis of human rights and dignity,” concludes the Unesco director general.
We publish below the names of Aldec’s best students for 2014 in the different subjects:
Creole: Merna Morgan from Plaisance centre.
English level 1: Clifford Zelia (Pointe Larue centre). Level 2: Doris Oreddy (St Louis) and Philibert Confiance Takamaka. Level 3: Fabia Nichol (Bel Ombre).
French level 1: Jacqueline Florentine (English River) and Sylvana Lucas (Pointe Larue. Level 2: Vivianne Prea (Cascade).
Mathematics level 1: Eileen Bonne Takamaka. Level 2: Maureen Constance Beau Vallon. Level 3 : Tresa Samson (Takamaka).