Two new training programmes in childcare and early childhood education will be on offer as from next year in a bid to boost the educational qualifications of providers.
Since 2015, the Institute of Early Childhood Development (IECD) in Seychelles has been conducting an informal ten-week long pre-registration and sensitisation training programme for all non-registered childminders. This has been in partnership with other ECCE (Early Childhood Care & Education) sectors, namely Health, Education, Social Affairs, Local Government, and also the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency.
Following successful completion of the training programme, over 200 childminders have to date been awarded with a Certificate of Attendance. This is a great achievement in the 0-3 sub-sector and it is considered as the first step towards registration of service with IECD.
With the introduction of the IECD’s Strategic Plan 2018 -2022, increased emphasis on ECCE, and as part of the rationalisation/harmonisation of the 0-3 sub-sector in terms of building capacity of personnel in the childcare sub-sector, IECD has initiated a project to develop a new accredited and award-bearing training programme entitled ‘Certificate for Child Care and Development’. Candidates wishing to work as a day-care assistant, childminder or assistant childminder can now pursue this one-year programme. Aside from the in-service childcare providers and staff, this training programme is also targeting secondary five students as a new programme of study for enrolment in post-secondary institutions in 2021. This flagship programme of the IECD is featured in the National Action Plan ECCE 2019-2020, and has been jointly developed by the IECD and Seychelles Institute for Teacher Education (Site). It will be delivered by Site as the official training institution in the country as from 2021, with the support of IECD and the Ministry of Education & Human Resource Development (MEHRD).
Another new training programme in ECCE on offer for 2021 is the ‘Certificate in Education for Teacher Assistant’. This is a one-year programme to be offered to candidates aspiring to work as teacher assistants. Upon successful completion of their studies, they will be eligible to be employed to provide support to the classroom teacher especially with literacy and numeracy at Primary One and Two levels. This programme is jointly being undertaken by the MEHRD and Site, and supported by IECD.
Research has shown that well qualified childcare providers are of crucial importance in ECCE, and children who attend high-quality childcare services are better prepared to be successful in school and their future careers. Certified knowledge, skills, and competencies in the areas of child development, early learning and teaching, health and safety, and family engagement will be beneficial to the childcare providers. It will empower them for the provision of superior early education care services and, consequently, helping children in their developmental experiences and later learning.
These new programmes will be officially launched next week in a press conference where other activities to promote the programmes will also be shared.
Joint press release from IECD, MEHRD and SITE
