Author: Nathalie Duval (Hiroshima University, Japan)
Abstract: National history education plays a pivotal role in shaping students’ sense of identity and belonging. Nevertheless, in 2023, 59% of history teachers in Seychelles’ public secondary schools were foreign nationals, individuals whose personal histories often lie outside the national narrative. This qualitative research, using classroom observations and interviews with eight foreign history teachers from four different schools, explored their experiences in teaching Seychelles’ history. Findings show that they are motivated to teach in Seychelles by the pursuit of professional growth, cultural exploration and improved financial stability. Adequate knowledge, cultural sensitivity, relevance, language aspect and adaptive teaching strategies effectively contributed to their effectiveness in teaching the national history. The study argues that ongoing professional development to deepen language and cross-cultural communication, immersive experiences and community engagement to foster a stronger sense of belonging and incorporating a multi-perspective teaching approach can enrich national history education. The study highlights that foreign teachers can be regarded as an asset rather than a limitation, enriching the classroom with their diverse perspectives without undermining the sense of national identity building, which remains a principal goal of national history. This study contributes to the broader discourse on how foreign teachers can positively contribute to local educational contexts.