About 100 Seychellois students received guidance, advice and words of caution from high government officials on Friday before they proceed on their overseas university courses.
The sending-off ceremony, which was held at the National Theatre at Mont Fleuri, was led by the education minister, Justin Valentin.
"You will be living for at least three years in a country that is not your own. We expect you to respect the national law of the countries and that of the institutions where you will be pursuing your studies, to ensure the experience is a good one," said Valentin.
The team speaking before the students outlined what should and should not be the students' priorities, what to pack, and the frequency at which stipends will be disbursed. Also part of the discussion was what the bond signed by between the students and the government entails.
One of the students present attending the meeting, Stana Mousbe, shared that "the meeting was very informative, coming from others' experiences. Useful advice was shared and we got a preview of what to expect, and how to prepare ourselves for what is to come."
Mousbe added that she has been waiting since 2021 to pursue a bachelor of science in marine biology and that while waiting, she was working on an outer island of Seychelles.
"The work experience has caused me to mature a bit more, and to be more independent, and in a sense has prepared me to live away from my family," said Mousbe.
Spartacus Nalletamby, who will be studying animation in Malaysia, shared that he greatly appreciated knowing about the pros and cons of what is going to happen.
"It's not like we are going there as tourists. We are going to be living in a foreign country for three years. It will not be like Seychelles and we need to prepare ourselves for a change in culture, to take responsibility for our actions," said Nalletamby.
The students at the meeting will be pursuing their bachelor or masters degrees in the UK, China, Malaysia, Hungary, Slovakia, Belgium, and Mauritius.
Source: Seychelles News Agency