VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Ministry of Education on Monday hosted a sending-off ceremony for the core team members of Team Seychelles who will be taking part in this year’s FIRST Global Robotics Challenge in Panama from October 29 to November 1, 2025. The ceremony was held at the ministry’s conference room at its headquarters in Mont Fleuri.
The FIRST Global Robotics Challenge is an international competition that brings together young innovators from across the globe to design, build and programme robots to address critical global challenges. Aimed at students aged 14–18, the competition focuses on promoting STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics — education, technological innovation and collaboration.
With the theme ‘Eco-equilibrium’, this year’s challenge focuses on balancing technological advancement with environmental sustainability, encouraging participants to develop innovative solutions to pressing ecological issues using robotics and technology. The principal secretary for the Education Sector Development, John Lesperance, was present to hand over the airline tickets to the five students from the team leaving for Panama — Gabriel Suzette, Bianca Monthy, Shaundro Clarisse, Harsitha Raja and Elizabeth Rousseau. The team will also be accompanied by two officers from the Ministry of Education, Emma Cadeau and Tania Bellard.
‘We would like to take this opportunity, especially in this exciting journey that you are about to embark on, to wish you all the best. Represent Seychelles well, fly our flag high, and return home with stories of growth, friendship and discovery,’ Mr Lesperance said. The team thanked the ministry and partners for their support and pledged to give their best.
