The Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) ILO programme was successfully conducted with all Diploma in Business Management and Administration Year 3 learners as well as participants from other Professional Centres in 2023.

Four SBSA staff members, Mrs Rasika Basnayake, Mr Peter Too, Mr Nicholas Oduor and Mrs Maria Solin,underwent training with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conducted between 2019 and 2020. This was funded through the support of the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the aim of which was for the four staff members to become "Start and Improve Your Business" (SIYB) trainers.

The Start and Improve your Business Programme (SIYB), is a 5 modules package which was developed by the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland. The module is the largest Business skills development programme in the world, as it is widely recognised, having presence in over 100 countries.

At SBSA, the trainers are using 3 of these modules under this programme, namely (GYB) Generate your business, (SYB) Start Your Business and (IYB) Improve Your Business. As ILO Licensed Trainers, they conduct business skills development training for learners, private individuals and businesses.

The team of four conducted minilectures for GYB during the Global Entrepreneurship week of 2020 at the launching of the week, which was held at SBSA on 21 October 2020, wherepast SBSA learners who are now fully fledged entrepreneurs were given the opportunity to share their experiences alongside other, more experienced entrepreneurs.

Over the years SBSA has offered different specialised entrepreneurship training under the SIYB modules and in 2023 the academy started engagement with other Professional Centres, whereby learners from STA, SMA, SIT and SIAH joined SBSA learners for the 5 days’ workshop and they received their certificates for the Start Your Business (SYB) module.

The way forward is to implement the training on a larger scale as part of the incubation process being hosted by Division of Science, Technology & Innovation (DSTI) in which participants could gain knowledge and skills in several modules such as Marketing, Costing but most importantly designing their business and financial plans. In doing so, this will help participants to prepare to pitch for grants or loans.

The SIYB team is looking forward to being able to train other potential entrepreneurs who want to start a business and who already have a concrete business idea through the Start Your Business (SYB) modules. The programme is a combination of five days training, field work and after-training support, which will help participants assess their readiness to start a business and to prepare a business plan and evaluate its viability.

The Improve Your Business (IYB) training will benefit existing entrepreneurs who have the need to improve their business andthe academy is reaching out to train those who need such support through collaborations with DSTI, SENPA, SNYC and other agencies. The team remains ever committed to ensuring that SBSA always lives its motto: “Gateway to Opportunities” and they aim to make these opportunities available to the people of Seychelles.

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Members of the Seychelles Business Studies Academy’s (SBSA) quality assurance committee, which also includes management members, have received certificates after successfully completing a training to improve their skills and competencies in internal quality audit.

The aim of the training was to give these individuals an overview of the internal auditing techniques from a quality assurance perspective. 

Guidance and input on how they can go about the process of drafting the internal audit tools were also shared during the training.

The workshop led by the Seychelles Bureau of Standards was organised as part of the groundwork of the committee to address one of the key targets of the academy’s institutional accreditation action plan, which is to develop and apply quality audit tools and instruments to be used for further improvement of quality assurance structures and processes at SBSA.

During the certificate presentation ceremony held at the institute last week, other staff members and students also received certificates after completing different trainings.

They included lecturers who attended a number of workshops on local taxation by the Seychelles Revenue Commission as well as 57 business management and administration learners, and five from other professional centres who had the chance to attain an extra qualification through the Start Your Business (SYB) programme.

Under this programme, learners were able to learn how to prepare their business plan and acquired further knowledge on conducting financial planning.

In her address at the ceremony, SBSA’s deputy director for studies, Maria Solin, said the SYB is a package of five modules which was developed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The module is the largest business skills development programme in the world, as it is widely recognised, and being present in over 100 countries in the world.

At SBSA, three of these modules under this programme, namely SYB, ‘Generate your business’ and ‘Improve your business’ are being used.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the chairperson of our board, Oliver Bastienne, for giving my colleagues Rasika Basanayake, Peter Too and myself the chance, through the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce, in funding our training with ILO to become ‘Start Improve Your Business’ trainers,” she said.

Ms Solin said they were trained online for a few months during 2019 and 2020 and were later able to train a few groups of learners, business owners and other people who wanted to become future entrepreneurs.

“As ILO licensed trainers, we conduct business skills development training for learners, private individuals and businesses.  Now we want to carry out the training on a larger scale as part of the incubation process being hosted by the Division of Science, Technology & Innovation (DSTI) in which individuals could gain knowledge and skills in several modules such as marketing, costing, but most importantly designing their business and financial plans. In doing so, we can help them be prepared to pitch for grants or loans later on,” she added.

We look forward to being able to train potential entrepreneurs from the different professional centres who want to start a business and who already have a concrete business idea through the SYB Modules, Ms Solin added.

“This training, we believe, should be used to benefit the business community in general which is why we are reaching out to train those who need such support through the Enterprise Seychelles Agency, Seychelles National Youth Council or DSTI,” she stated.

“We remain ever committed to ensuring that SBSA always lives up to its motto: ‘Gateway to Opportunities’, and we aim to make these opportunities available to the people of Seychelles. I once again thank all those who are our steadfast supporters in helping SBSA live by its motto.”

The accompanying photos show the various groups who received certificates.

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Jean-Luc Barra wins President’s Cup 

Eighteen-year-old Jean-Luc Barra of Bel Air is the winner of the President’s Cup for the cohort 2020-2022 of the Seychelles Business Studies Academy, who completed their studies last year.

Jean-Luc received his award from President Wavel Ramkalawan during the institution’s graduation ceremony at the International Conference Centre yesterday morning.

The President’s Cup is conveyed to the graduate who has not only performed well academically, but is also exemplary in behaviour, has been a good role model and an ambassador to the academy participating enthusiastically in different activities. Jean-Luc was described as a born leader who had been a true voice for other learners.

Other than the cup, Jean-Luc also received other prizes including laptop and a scholarship letter for further studies.

Speaking to local media, an emotional Jean-Luc said he was still shocked from the announcement but was filled with pride for having raised the President’s Cup and thanked all those who have been there.

“The level of happiness right now is overflowing but this is not just for me. I dedicate it to all those who have been supportive throughout my studies. I will always be thankful to all of them,” he said, citing his mother, family members and friends, the academy’s directors, lecturers and all the staff at SBSA.

He said although it was a tough road, he was glad he persevered and he never shied away from any tasks or challenges.

Jean-Luc who plans to go for further studies in business at university level, has advised other learners at the academy to study hard and persevere saying that “if you persevere, it will pay off, if you fall down, just rise up, we all fall in life, rise and continue to focus on what is most important to you.

His mother, Lisette Barra, who was still emotional and very surprised, said she felt so proud that her son was the recipient of this prestigious award.

Mrs Barra said Jean-Luc was fully dedicated to his school for the past three years, and remained focused in his studies.

“He truly deserves it because I saw how devoted he was towards his studies and I know his father, who passed since he was three, is also proud where he is,” said Mrs Barra.

Jean-Luc was among 175 students graduating yesterday after following studies in various business-related fields namely certificate in Administrative Skills, AAT Foundation Certificate in accounting, Certificate in Business Administration, Certificate in Accounting, Advanced Certificate in accounting, Advanced certificate in business management and administration, Diploma in business management and administration and Diploma in accounting and finance.

Yesterday’s ceremony was also to reward those who had excelled in their respective programme and one of those awards is the Outstanding Performer Award which is presented to the graduate who has produced excellent results.

The Certificate in Administrative Skills was awarded to Emily Adolphe while the Most Outstanding Performer award for the Certificate in Business Administration went to Camillia Stephen.

The Most Outstanding Performer for the Diploma in Business Management and Administration was Curtis Nolin while Kendra Poussou excelled in her programme of studies which was AAT Foundation Certificate in Accounting.

Megan Gilbert was the recipient for the Diploma in Accounting and Finance.

The students were also rewarded for Best Effort and in Certificate in Administrative Skills, the prize went to Alisha Hoareau, while Gaelle Mounac was the recipient for Best Effort in Diploma in Business Management and Administration.

The award for Best Effort in Diploma in Accounting and Finance went to Shania Joseph.

There was also an AAT Award which is presented to the Diploma in Accounting and Finance graduate who has excelled academically in all the AAT external exams. The winner was Megan Gilbert.

The newly introduced ‘Most Resilient Learner Award’ which replaces the previous SNYC award, rewards the student who had shown perseverance through adversity and difficult life events. Liam Jean-Louis was chosen as the student who had shown these qualities – a respectful, tough and determined graduate.

Curtis Nolin and Adrian Port-Louis received the annual SBSA Governing Board Award, which is conveyed to the graduate who demonstrated outstanding contribution by being an exceptional ambassador to the academy.

The Medal of Academic Excellence, introduced for the first time last year – an award which recognises exceptional academic performance in a graduate – went to Megan Gilbert, who was a consistent outstanding performer throughout the 3 years.

When commending the students, the SBSA director, Josianne Bristol, congratulated them for their hard work and good results, and urged them to “go and build those successes; those of you going on to further studies ensure you give your all, so you come out victorious. Those joining the world of work ensure you demonstrate the professionalism you have been taught so as to shine in your career”. 

She said while the door on their studies closed at SBSA, the gateway to greater opportunities, was opening.

She also said the institution had so much to be proud of highlighting a remarkable improvement in its academic performance, with an increase in the number of students who received distinction last year compared to the 2021 cohort.

“Last year I stood in this very same spot and congratulated our graduates for being the cohort graduating with the most distinction – that was a total of 7. Today, I commend this cohort on pushing the bar higher still. Among you, dear graduands, we have not 7, not 8, but 16 graduating with distinctions,” said Mrs Bristol.

They were Emily Adolphe, Alisha Hoareau, Alisha Nibourette, Camillia Stephen, Angela Basset, Meryl Brioche, Jenna Elizabeth, Miriam Estico, Sheldon Monty, Gaelle Mounac, Curtis Nolin, Suzy Prempeh Marimba, Bahirih Valentin, Stephie Confiance, Megan Gilbert and Shania Joseph.

Mrs Bristol also added that despite the various challenges the academy faces, it was still producing excellent results and advised the learners not to let those barriers be a hindrance to their studies.

“We will continue to face challenges at SBSA, but we will also continue to persevere through them. Such things as lack of teaching space have never phased any of our lecturers. We still lament the fact that we are yet to be allocated our own premises, but we remain ever hopeful for the good news that our new, more modern, facility will be available in the near future to cater to our ever- growing student body,” she said.

She added that annually more people are eager to join the institution with the Year 1 enrolment figure, combined for both full-time and part-time programmes, standing at over 180. She stated that SBSA continues to strive to make its programmes more suited to the business world and the academy was currently reviewing the Diploma in Accounting and Finance and the Diploma in Business Management and Administration as they come near the end of their validation status.

This year, all the 175 graduates also received a Life Insurance Voucher from H Savy Insurance Company Limited and were also recognised for taking part in the ‘ABSA Ready To Work Programme’ – which is a Pan African flagship initiative, where they managed to attain an extra qualification.

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SBSA staff and learners continuously contribute to the blood bank by organising a minimum of two blood drives each year, after the original request came from the blood bank for support in 2022.

In 2022,a total of three blood drives were conducted: in February, in May and in November 2022; and in 2023 there were two: one in February, and the second in May.

There was excellent participation from both staff and learners and the academy was awarded a certificate from Ministry of Health (Blood Transfusion Section) during a ceremony held at ICCS where SBSA was awarded 2^nd place for the period of June 2021 to June 2022. At a similar award ceremony for the period of June 2022 to June 2023, SBSA was this time awarded 1st place for blood donation among all organisations (Public and Private) with 57 successful pints collected.

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During 2023, the academy undertook various donations, contributed by both staff and learners, to the community as follows:

• Donations to the Anse Royale Old People’s home were made in October and December; during both times, the learners and staff who visited the Old People’s Home entertained the inhabitants with songs and jokes, spending some quality time with them.
• Donations to NCC was made on 21 July.
• Donation was made to Cancer Concern through participation in the cancer awareness week.

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The Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC) and the Seychelles Business Studies Academy (SBSA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

The agreement was signed by the commissioner general of SRC, Veronique Herminie, and the director of SBSA, Josianne Bristol, in a short ceremony held yesterday afternoon at the SBSA premises at the University of Seychelles, Anse Royale.

Present were staff and students of the learning institution as well as representatives of the SRC management.

The MoU is to establish a framework for collaboration in academic exchange through capacity building, such as training and research development opportunities, for SBSA students and staff of SRC.

The agreement will also assist in fulfilling the national needs of the human resource development plan by opening doors for students wishing to take a career in tax or customs through internship opportunities at SRC, in addition to granting SRC officers more access to the related objectives through enrollment in the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) courses conducted in-house by SBSA.

Mrs Herminie described the MoU as an important step taken by SRC in terms of capacity development of its staff in the field of accounting.

It is also to further cement the close collaboration the commission has with SBSA in the formation of its students through SRC’s internship programmes.

“Under the MoU, we shall also ensure that our domestic tax laws are given prominence in the course materials being offered to the students as part of our efforts to bring more awareness to the tax obligation for businesses operating locally. These students will graduate to hopefully become future accountants of these businesses and what they learn on our local taxes and tax laws shall be a plus to their employers. It will definitely open possibilities for recruitment at SRC for those students following the internship programmes subject to successful academic performance to meet the internal criteria and expectation of the organization,” said Mrs Herminie.

The commissioner general stated that since tax laws are not covered in the education curriculum, she welcomed the SBSA for offering such courses to its staff.

Since the start of this year, SRC has welcomed a total of twenty students from SBSA as part of the orgainsation’s internship programme among whom three are presently undergoing on-the-job training within the Revenue and Audit section. Students would spend four to six training sessions at the organisation.

Nine SRC officers are also presently enrolled on different ATT level courses at SBSA.

On her part, Mrs Bristol said that SBSA has been working closely with SRC for a number of years now and the MoU will help to formalise their partnership and will certainly provide the institution’s staff and learners with scope for further professional development.

“We look forward to building deeper understanding of Seychelles taxation laws for both lecturers and learners through the support of SRC and we also certainly look forward to supporting SRC with the training  of their own personnel. We know that this collaboration will benefit both parties immensely and help us develop further mutual support of each other,” she added.

SRC employs 376 workers among whom 40 are SBSA graduates.

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