October 29, 2025
The Institute for Early Childhood Development (IECD)-UNESCO Category 2 Institute, hosted a delegation from the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) for high-level strategic discussions on Tuesday 21st October. The meeting, which included senior leadership from both institutions, aimed to explore the framework for a formal partnership to integrate Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into Seychelles’ early childhood ecosystem.
The Seychelles delegation was led by the Chairman of the IECD Board, Dr. Javier Rose, and included Captain David Savy, Member of the IECD Governing Board; IECD CEO Mrs. Shirley Choppy; Mrs. Catriona Monthy, who is spearheading the SEL programme with the Ministry of Education; and the Secretary General of the Seychelles UNESCO National Commission, Mrs. Vicky Michel.
The high-level dialogue marked the second meeting between the two UNESCO institutes, building upon foundational discussions first held in December 2023. These continued engagements have solidified Seychelles, under the leadership of IECD, as a potential strategic partner for MGIEP in the African region. The talks progressed substantively, with several key areas identified for future collaborative development.
A 
central proposal involved MGIEP providing technical assistance for a comprehensive review of Seychelles’ national Early Childhood Learning Programme. This collaboration would focus on the systematic integration of SEL components to foster emotional regulation, empathy, and resilience in young children.
Further discussions highlighted the potential for joint research initiatives, with the two institutes acting as knowledge partners. This would include collaborative studies in early childhood within the Seychellois context. Capacity building was also a key topic, with proposals for developing specialized training programmes for educators and parents. An additional area of exploration was the co-creation of innovative resources, including a dedicated toolkit for parents to support learning at home.
The MGIEP delegation’s visit to Seychelles was facilitated by a five-day Master Trainer Workshop held from October 14th to 20th, as part of the Education Sector’s ECCE National Action Plan (NAP) 2025–2027 project. IECD officers Ms. Nathalie Malvina, Director for International Cooperation, and Ms. Vanessa Philoé, Senior Compliance Officer, participated in this workshop, which aligns with training they previously attended in India earlier this year.
Dr. Anya, representing MGIEP, expressed strong enthusiasm for the prospective alliance, commending IECD’s pivotal role in ECCE. While the initiatives remain under discussion, the meeting marked a significant commitment to advancing a dialogue that positions Seychelles at the forefront of holistic early childhood care and education.
