Category: Education

Students of the Seychelles Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture (SIAH) have the possibility of higher education prospects as high officials discuss areas of agriculture training with the Netherlands’ Aeres Training Centre International.

A representative of Aeres Training Centre International, Teus Korevaar, met with officials of the Ministry of Education and SIAH on Monday, to discuss the fields in which Aeres can assist Seychelles in terms of providing training and higher education opportunities.

The training centre in the Netherlands offers a wide range of education, research and activities in the fields of animals, animal welfare, botany and our environment. Its facilities include a poultry innovation laboratory, feed mill and veterinary training centre laboratories.

The discussions focused on new courses that can be offered at SIAH along with the opportunity for higher education such as degree courses, to ensure that Seychelles has young experts that can work in various agriculture related fields.

The Minister for Education, Justin Valentin, said that Seychelles “wants to move agriculture education to the next level. The has been a tendency in the past, to see only the non-academic students join the agriculture sector, and what we have seen now, is that we lack experts in agriculture.”

He added that his ministry wants to increase the standard of existing agriculture participants while also creating possibilities for a diverse set of learners to access agriculture education.

SIAH’s chairman of the board of directors, Jean Alcindor, emphasised that SIAH wants graduates to have access to future study possibilities in order to bridge the gap between what the school offers and what the country requires.

“We have done good work this year where the school has introduced an IGCSE in agriculture, which along with their advanced certificate, will give the students the necessary baggage to be able to move on to further opportunities,” said Alcindor.

He noted that Aeres is not the only organisation with whom SIAH is collaborating and that the school is also looking for other partners in the region, such as Kenya, Botswana, and Mauritius, to help students interested in pursuing a career in agriculture.

In March this year, with the aim of having students graduate with higher educational degrees in the field of agriculture to build more knowledge-based capacity in the sector, the University of Seychelles (UniSey) signed an agreement with the University of Bologna, Italy.

Seychelles’ agriculture minister, Flavien Joubert, present at the ceremony in March said that the MoU “provides an opening for collaboration in research as well as for scholarships so that our students can attend training in a subject that deals with agriculture and food science at the university in Italy.”

The Seychelles Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture based at Anse à la Mouche on the west coast of Mahe currently offers two courses: Advanced Certificate in General Agriculture and Advanced Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscaping.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

Sunyani, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, the President of the Bono Region House of Chiefs has advised Ghanaians to respect the presidency, and guard against ‘uncouth’ behaviours that turn to ‘dirty’ the seat of government.

That notwithstanding, Osagyefo Agyemang Badu II, who is the Paramount Chief of Dormaa Traditional Area (Dormaahene) said Ghanaians had the right to criticize successive governments constructively, to put them on their toes to facilitate accelerated national development.

The ‘Dormaahene’ was speaking at the 10th anniversary memorial lecture in honour of the late former President John Evans Atta Mills on the theme ‘The Man John Evans Atta Mills-10 Years On’ in Sunyani.

It was jointly organised by the Bono, Bono East, Ahafo and Western North Regional branches of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and attended by the leadership of the Party, traditional leaders, youth groups and some Members of Parliament.

Osagyefo Agyemang Badu II said there was no justification for any Ghanaian to insult or cast insinuations on particularly, the President and the Vice President, saying such attitudes and behaviours were alien to the Ghanaian culture.

He said it was rather useful and recommendable for Ghanaians to praise, inspire and support development-oriented governments in their efforts to build and transform the economic fortunes of the nation.

Describing the late former President Mills as an ‘aptitude of development’ who abhorred corruption, the Paramount Chief urged politicians to learn from the integrity and humility of the late President.

‘Politicians must emulate the peaceful, credible, diplomatic and selfless nature of the late Prof Mills’ he advised, attesting that ‘his democratic values turned to build and consolidate the nation’s democratic gains’.

In a speech read on her behalf, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister said, ‘remembering and celebrating the selflessness, ingenuity and patriotic nature of the late former president should serve as a catalyst to change our politics’.

‘The late Atta Mills governing style was noted for creating economic confidence and a better Ghana for all’, she added.

Professor Dominic Otoo, the Dean of Students, University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) recounted how the late Prof. Mills administration dealt proactively and improved educational infrastructure and ICT learning centres nationwide.

‘In fact, he was not only a peacemaker, but his commitment towards transforming the educational sector remain unparalleled’, he stated, adding that the late Prof. Mills was also poised to improve quality education with focus and emphasis on Technical and Vocational

Source: Ghana News Agency

Madam Regina Lame, Deputy Women’s Organiser of Nkwanta South Constituency of the New Patriotic Party has visited her alma mater, the Keri M/A JHS in the municipality and donated some educational items to students.

The items include mathematical sets, pens and pencils for candidates for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) preparing for their final exams.

Madam Lame, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Ginabel Fashion and a native of Keri, made the donation as part of her 30th birthday celebration.

She took the opportunity to brief the BECE candidates on the benefits of the Free Senior High School policy initiated by President Akufo-Addo’s Government.

She again advised them to study hard ahead of their final BECE examinations in August and come out with flying colours as she also did some years ago to become who she is today.

The students could not hide their joy; they thanked her and promised they would learn hard and make beneficial use of the educational items she had donated to them.

She was accompanied by Stella Klutse, Polling Station Secretary for Primary ‘A’; and Agidisu Agatha, Polling Station Women’s Organiser for Keri Polling Station ‘A’.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Stakeholders, industry players and consultants in the marine space have been engaged on the need for a Sustainable Ocean Plan (SOP) for the country in Takoradi in the Western Region.

The engagement, under the leadership of the SDGs Advisory Unit in the Office of the President and the Secretariat for Ghana’s SOP, would ensure that the SOP is developed and implemented through a participatory, transparent, equitable and accountable process.

The SOP would guide all stakeholders in the sustainable use of ocean resources and help address many challenges including food insecurity, pollution, poverty, inequalities, and unemployment which are becoming a global threat.

In December 2020, the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) launched its ‘Transformations for a Sustainable Ocean Economy – A Vision for Protection, Production and Prosperity’ and signed on by 17 countries.

As a founding member of the Ocean Panel, President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo has underscored Ghana’s commitment to developing a Sustainable Ocean Plan (SOP) by 2025.

Dr Felix Addo-Yobo, Deputy Director and Advisor, said the workshop sought to create awareness on the Sustainable Ocean Plan and its processes, identify challenges and opportunities at the sub-national level, provide a space for peer exchange and interaction among all stakeholders, explore priorities and needs for stakeholders towards the development of the SOP and mobilise support, ownership and co-develop the SOP with all stakeholders.

It was expected that participants gained a better understanding of Sustainable Ocean Plans and its processes, challenges and opportunities at the subnational level identified and documented and commitment of participants secured to support, co-develop, and own the SOP.

Dr Addo- Yobo said the SOP with a financing framework, would help to make the document very active and operational after its development, ‘we hope to make the private sector an integral part of this processes by matching the needs with the private sector.’

Professor Kwasi Appeaning Addo, the Director, Institute for Environmental and Sanitation Studies, University of Ghana, lead for the project said the protection, production and prosperity was critical for posterity’s sake.

He said reconciling the conflicting issues in the sector with stakeholders was key as well as working on the five key areas-Ocean health, equity, knowledge, wealth, and marine security in reviving the ocean for the future generation.

Mr Kofi Agbogah, Chairman of the SOP working group expressed worry that the 550 km coastline had been hampered by many human actions including Plastic waste, usage of chemicals by fisherfolks among other unhealthy practices that were compromising the health and safety of Ghana’s waters.

He encouraged Ghanaians to reversing such activities and collectively, help to restore strength to the sea which had the potential to create jobs and wealth in the value chain for many people in the country.

Plenary sessions mooted the idea for the early education on the ocean and its benefits in Ghanaian school’s curriculum, improvement in sea transportation to ease pressure on the road, tourism, sports, and scholarship for interested parties who wants to advance a career in the sector.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A day’s youth seminar to engage students on how to develop capacity and strategise on measures to help maximise their potential in career development has been held in Tamale.

It was organised by the Tamale Technical University Chapter of Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON), the students’ wing of the New Patriotic Party, in partnership with Martha Inspires Foundation, an NGO working to empower youth growth and development.

It was on the theme: ‘Overcoming My Fears to magnify My Potential’.

Mr Abdul-Mumin Alhassan, Tamale Technical University Chapter President of TESCON, speaking during the event, said it was to help equip students on how to harness business and other employment opportunities in the corporate space devoid of fear and intimidation.

He said most tertiary students completed their education without any clear direction or clue of their potential, a situation which made it difficult for them to access any meaningful employment and other opportunities.

Ms Martha Anabila, Chief Executive Officer of Martha Inspires Foundation took participants through steps to identifying one’s potential and how to maximise it for communal and national development.

She tasked the students to set realistic and achievable goals and endeavour to aspire for success and greatness.

She said: ‘The onus lies on you to be determined, focused on your pursuit for success, keep your eyes fixed on the goals you set for yourself.’

Mr Mohammed Kamil Abubakar, Lecturer at the Department of Engineering, Tamale Technical University, advised the students not to allow any circumstances to limit their dreams and prospects.

Source: Ghana News Agency

National Union of Professors in Higher Education (SINPES) decided Tuesday to suspend the strike planned for today until 10 November, the institution’s secretary general, Eduardo Peres Alberto, has announced.

Eduardo Peres Alberto, who was speaking to journalists today, after an Assembly of professors, said the interruption of the strike should obey two requirements.

The first has to do with the fact that the period of classes should extend until 15 August and the second to meet the lectures’ demands.

According to the source, the failure to comply with these requirements may lead to the disruption to the beginning of 2023/2024 academic year.

SINPES is pushing for a salary estimated at 2.6 million kwanzas for full professors and 1.3 million kwanzas for trainee assistants.

The minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Maria do Rosário Bragança said that in the current financial year there were no conditions for salary increases for professors.

As for health insurance, the minister said that the issue is being evaluated by the Ministry of Finance.

The classes in higher education sector resumed on 26 May 2023, after a strike called on 27 February.

Source: Angola Press News Agency