Students’ Perceptions of Local and Foreign History Teachers in the Seychelles from the Perspective of National Identity
Abstract
As globalisation enhances the international mobility of teachers, Seychelles has experienced a notable rise in the number of foreign teachers in its state secondary schools, with foreign nationals comprising 59% of national history teachers in 2023. The study investigated students’ perspectives on local and foreign history teachers in Seychelles' secondary schools, examining firstly, students' preference for local or foreign history teachers and secondly, students' perception of local and foreign teachers' effective teaching in terms of emotional, behavioural, and instructional support and national identity building. A mixed-methods approach was applied using a questionnaire survey involving 785 students from 8 state secondary schools, followed by focus group discussions with selected survey participants. The results indicate that students with a local teacher prefer a local teacher, while those with a foreign history teacher are open to accepting either nationality. There are significant differences in the emotional, behavioural, and instructional support between the two groups of teachers. However, no notable difference in fostering national identity between the two groups. Local teachers were perceived as more emotionally engaged, culturally aware, and adept at using local language and contextually relevant strategies. While temporarily fostering national attachment through shared symbols and history, foreign teachers were seen as being able to enrich students' understanding by providing diverse perspectives and comparative insights into Seychelles' history. A balanced approach, utilising the strengths of both foreign and local teachers, coupled with professional development to address existing weaknesses, can enrich students' learning experiences and contribute to a sense of global citizenship without compromising the element of national identity building
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