Blue Economy department has been successfully able to secure $60,000 from the Indian Ocean Rim Association to commence its educational programme

Blue Economy dept gets $60,000 to boost its educational programme

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Blue Economy department has been successfully able to secure $60,000 from the Indian Ocean Rim Association to commence its educational programme.

Since its beginning in 2015, the department has been searching for means to educate the populace about this sector. With the funding newly acquired, the department is arranging to launch a set of activities that can be consolidated in schools with the assistance of two consultants.

After seven years, there are still misinterpretations regarding what the Blue Economy is really about. With the funding procured, the department will begin activities in schools from September end in order to promote the Blue Economy approach.

The principal programme and development officer, Terrence Crea, illustrated that the Blue Economy department puts a lot of effort into the education and stimulation of Blue Economy for the public.

"We are clearly targeting secondary students with activities that will be mostly science-related projects. It is also necessary to know that though we will be mostly focusing on science subjects, we are also figuring out how it can be integrated with geography."

Mr Cream hopes that with the aid of this project, students will have the ability to understand how important the sector is and how they will be able to influence and benefit from it.

Another thing the project constitutes is when the consultants are done with work on its logistics, they will bring it to more countries in the region. Seychelles will be the head of this project.

"We desire that this project will influence the youth in the way they act as well as have the stakeholders onboard. We have already been given approval from the Ministry of Education, and we have already hired two consultants – one being an expert in curriculum development and the other being an expert in the Ocean. 

The two consultants will examine the already existing programmes of the Blue Economy in the school curriculum and will further propose new additions," Mr Crea explained. "We found it important in our communication strategy, the need to educate the children/youth of what the Blue Economy is all about. 

Youths in this department have lots of opportunities. Implementing an approach such as that of the Blue Economy provides twin advantages of getting social and economic benefits while improving climate resilience and environmental sustainability at the same time. 

It also promotes fairness to access development and sharing of benefits of marine resources and also the capacity to mobilise and manage resources. Our directive is to make the population aware of how this sector can be of help in contributing to the increase of the country," Elna Etienne, the principal information and communication officer, explained.

The Blue Economy department desires to change our youths' mindset and children on their actions regarding this Ocean with these programmes.