The Marine Education Project in Seychelles hit the (Seychelles) media this week with the handing over ceremony of hundreds of SOSF books donated to the Seychelles Ministry of Education. SOSF CEOs Peter Verhoog and Georgina Wiersma were present to make the official presentation of the books to the Minister and Principle Secretary for Education. Many dignitaries from the Ministry of Education attended the ceremony along with teachers and students representing the local schools. The books will be distributed to the 34 primary and secondary schools within Seychelles.
Every school within Seychelles has an Environmental Representative and a Wild Life Club Leader. In conjunction with this donation Project Leader Abbie Hine is conducting workshops with these teachers to help build marine awareness into the teaching within the schools. Abbie is also going around each and every school in the Seychelles giving informative, yet fun, marine awareness talks. This way the books are not just a stand-alone donation but a building block in the commitment by Save our Seas Foundation to marine education within the Seychelles schools. There is a strong focus on environmental education within Seychelles schools, however there is often greater emphasis given to the terrestrial environment and wildlife rather than the marine environment. The aim of the marine education project is that these books, talks and workshops will develop a greater knowledge not only among the students but also their teachers who can continue the ethic of marine conservation in all their classes and day-to-day lives.
Other aspects of the Marine Education project have recently been coordinating beach cleans, giving marine awareness talks at resorts and with dive masters and also being involved in activities with the National Council for Children.