Education in Seychelles

Joined Commonwealth: 1976

Population: 84,000 (2009)

GDP p.c. growth: 1.7% p.a. 1990-2009

Net primary enrolment: 94.4% (2009)

Net secondary enrolment: 97.3% (2009)

Adult literacy: 91.8%

There are ten years of compulsory education starting at age six. The net enrolment ratio at primary level is 94.4% and 97.3% at secondary level(2009). The gross enrolment ratio for all levels of education combined is 83.2% (2008). The pupil-teacher ratio for primary is 14:1 and for secondary 13:1 (2009). Teaching is in Creole, French and English and some 85% of pupils complete primary school (2008). The school year starts in January. Illiteracy among people aged 15-24 is 0.9% (2006).

Providers of tertiary education include the Seychelles Polytechnic, Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre, the Farmers’ Training Centre, the Maritime Training Centre, the Industrial Training Centre, and the National College of the Arts. Seychelles Polytechnic offers courses to diploma level and has been providing first-year undergraduate degree courses in conjunction with the University of Manchester, UK, since 2001. Literacy among people aged 15-24 is 99% (2009).