SEYCHELLES UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

AfDB PLEDGES ITS SUPPORT

THE African Develo-pment Bank (AfDB) has expressed strong support for the initiative by President James Michel to develop Seychelles’ own university.

Consequently, the AfDB will be fielding a high level mission to Sey-chelles in the coming months to discuss how the bank can support this initiative.

The news comes in a personal letter to Presi-dent James Michel from the President of the AfDB, Dr. Donald Kaberuka and also follows the recent mission to Seychelles of Mr Peter Sinon, the new Executive Director of the AfDB for the African region.

In the letter, Dr. Kaberuka commends President Michel “for the pioneering role Seychelles is playing in making higher education the cornerstone of national development and in articulating the nexus between higher education, science and technology and the productive sectors in Seychelles.”

In early April 2007, the AfDB unveiled its stra-tegy on higher education, science and technology for the continent in Accra, Ghana, where it organized a workshop on higher education, science and technology in collaboration with the Association of African Universities (AAU).
This two-day event, which brought together 60 participants from across the continent, updated participants on the Bank Group’s renewed and committed interest in strengthening higher education, science, technology, research and innovation in Africa.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Bank Group Vice-President, Zeinab El-Bakri, said the Bank strongly believes that higher education plays a key role in national buil-ding by being an import-ant place for the popula-rization of democratic values, the protection of human rights, the promo-tion of good governance and the rule of law and by helping society under-stand its history, its cul-ture and its institutions, adding that a robust science and technology (S&T) base is a prerequi-site for sustained econo-mic growth.

There is growing acknowledgment that investing in higher education, science and technology and research has a significant positive impact on economic growth and poverty reduction, she pointed out.

According to a commu-niqué from the office of the Chairman of the Seychelles University Foundation, the AfDB’s involvement in the education sector of Sey-chelles is nothing new.

In fact, the Bank’s operations in Seychelles since 1978 placed signi-ficant focus on the Edu-cation sector. Through the AfDB Education I, II and III projects (1978-1998) numerous schools, at crèche, primary and secondary levels were developed on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.
On Mahé, these included schools based in Beau Vallon, Belonie, Glacis, Cascade, Baie Lazare, Takamaka, La Retraite, La Misère, Bel Eau, English River, Plaisance, Anse Royale, Anse Boileau, Pointe Larue, Les Mamelles, Anse Etoile, Grand Anse Mahé and the School for the Exceptional Child in Victoria.

On Praslin and La Digue, the Bank supported the setting up of the Grand Anse Praslin Primary and Secondary Schools as well as the extension of the La Digue School.