President Dr. Patrick Herminie, chaired a scheduled meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday 28th January, during which a number of legal and policy memoranda were approved.
Cabinet approved the Careers and Further Education Agency Bill, 2026, which establishes an autonomous statutory Agency to support and strengthen careers development and careers guidance, further education pathways, student transition to employment, and the administration of Government-funded scholarships. Cabinet reaffirmed its earlier decision to re-establish the Agency following the dissolution of the former ANHRD, noting the need for stronger governance, greater institutional independence, and clear legal authority to manage scholarship programmes, bonding obligations, and national careers guidance. The Bill will be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and enactment.
Cabinet approved the establishment of the Education Reform Council (ERC) as a high-level body to guide and oversee the national education reform programme. The President will appoint the members of the Council on the recommendation of the Minister responsible for Education and Human Resource Development. The Council will review the education sector in phases, beginning with Early Childhood and Primary Education and later extending to Secondary Education, to ensure reforms are well coordinated, inclusive and aligned with national priorities.
Cabinet approved the revised organisational structure for the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The new structure is intended to strengthen institutional capacity, improve governance and coordination, and support the effective delivery of national youth and sports policies and programmes. It introduces clearer reporting lines, stronger oversight by senior management, improved technical capacity in key policy and planning areas, and dedicated units for partnerships, performance, communications and youth participation, including the Youth Empowerment Council.
Cabinet approved the establishment and implementation of the IGNITE Pilot Programme (Internships for Growth, Networking, Innovation and Talent Experience) as a one-year national youth internship programme under the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The pilot will commence in April 2026 and will target 50 high-potential S4 and S5 students and 50 students from professional centres per cohort, selected through a competitive, merit-based process. The programme will provide structured workplace exposure, skills development and mentoring across public, private and civil society organisations.
Cabinet approved the establishment and implementation of the StepUp4Life Holiday Programme as a national youth employability initiative. The programme will commence in 2026 and will target up to 200 secondary school students from S3 to S5 per holiday session during the April, August and December school holidays. It will provide supervised work placements, basic employability preparation and workplace exposure across public and private sector organisations. The programme will be administered by the Seychelles National Youth Council, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development and the Ministry of Employment and Human Resource Planning.
Cabinet approved the implementation of a new Child Care Assistance Programme to improve affordability, equity and access to early childhood care. Cabinet endorsed the continuation of the universal childcare assistance of SCR 750 per child per month for children enrolled in registered facilities. It also approved a means-tested top-up of an additional SCR 750 per child per month for eligible low-income households, based on a net income threshold of SCR 8,555.50. The programme will take effect from February 2026 and will be administered jointly by the Institute of Early Childhood Development and the Agency for Social Protection.
Cabinet approved the repeal of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts Act, 2021, which will result in the dissolution of SNICHA. Cabinet also endorsed a major reform of the governance framework for culture, arts and national heritage. It authorised the drafting of a new Seychelles Culture, Arts and National Heritage Bill to bring cultural institutions under stronger ministerial oversight within the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Cabinet further approved the re-establishment of the National Monuments Board under the Seychelles National Monuments Act (1980) and the revised structure of the Culture Department to strengthen policy leadership, accountability and operational efficiency
