Seychelles’ IECD Becomes UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Early Childhood Care and Education

VICTORIA, SEYCHELLES — Seychelles’ Institute for Early Childhood Development (IECD) has achieved a new international milestone as it was inaugurated as a Category 2 Centre for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

According to a new release by Seychelles News Agency, the ceremony took place at the Eden Bleu Hotel on Eden Island, with President Wavel Ramkalawan, First Lady Linda Ramkalawan, and Mmant-setsa Marope, the acting regional director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, in attendance.

The Category 2 status allows the IECD to function as a central hub for research, quality assurance, advocacy, and collaboration in the area of early childhood development. The center will also benefit from specialized technical support from UNESCO and its affiliated partners, further contributing to the quality of ECCE provision.

In his inaugural speech, President Ramkalawan praised the IECD for its achievements and emphasized its role in fulfilling the country’s vision for young children. He stated that the new status would broaden the institute’s scope for regional and international engagement, capacity building in ECCE, and the strengthening of knowledge networks.

The Seychelles government, Ramkalawan assured, will continue to support the IECD in alignment with its commitment to building a resilient society. “Seychelles will remain steadfast in its support for the institute as a centre of excellence, a model of good practice and deliver according to its new international mandate,” he said.

During the ceremony, Stefania Gianni, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for education, congratulated Seychelles via a video message. She proposed several recommendations for the centre, including organizing conferences, offering online training programs, creating platforms for information exchange, setting quality standards, and embracing technology for innovation.

IECD, originally established in January 2013, supervises the developmental stages of the 0–8 age range and also regulates childminding services in Seychelles. The upgrade to a Category 2 Centre under UNESCO spotlights the institute’s significant contributions to the ECCE landscape, both nationally and globally.

In a recent press release, the IECD stated that as a UNESCO extension, the institution aims to accelerate progress towards achieving sustainable development goals for a brighter future for children worldwide.

Shirley Choppy, the CEO of IECD, concluded the ceremony with a note of optimism, reaffirming the commitment to ensuring all children in Seychelles and globally have a strong start in life.