PROMOTION OF LOCAL MATERIALS USE IN MINESEC

Government Technical High School Bikok: A Testing Ground for Fired Clay Bricks Manufacture

MINESEC wants GTHS Bikok to lead the way in the production of fired clay bricks.

The Minister of Secondary Education, Prof Nalova Lyonga, undertook a working visit to Bikok on Friday, 2 December 2022 in the company of Boniface Bayaola, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Secondary Education in charge of Teacher’s Training (SEESEN) and Prof Fabien Nkot, the Secretary-General of the Ministry. This was to assess the pilot project for the manufacture of fired clay bricks developed at GTHS Bikok in the Mefou-and-Akono Divison, Centre Region.

After the welcome addresses by Mrs. Ndeki Frieda Aurélie, Principal of GTHS Bikok, and the Mayor of Bikok who thanked Prof Nalova Lyonga for choosing their school to implement the learning-by-doing approach through this pilot project, Prof Nalova Lyonga in her remarks called on the Education Community of Bikok as a whole, and on the Mayor and the Principal in particular, to work for the successful implementation of the project in their locality which is expected to show the way to all other secondary schools in the country.

As a matter of fact, Bikok is well-known for the successful popularization of fired clay bricks in architecture with beautifully designed buildings as promoted by a native, in the person of Augustin Mvondo.

At the project site in GTHS Bikok, the Minister and her entire delegation were given a thorough presentation of the fired clay bricks manufacture process. Prof Nalova Lyonga instructed all the parties involved in this project to guarantee environment sustainability while digging the soil for the clay needed to manufacture the bricks.

From every indication, the purchase of relevant equipment as well as capacity-building in the handling of the incubator are the major challenges to overcome in order to modernise the manufacture process and increase the productivity of fired clay bricks.

The mission Prof Nalova Lyonga assigned GTHS Bikok is to become the major supplier of fired clay bricks to secondary schools and the Community in the long run. This is why Secondary Education Minister called on the Education Community of Bikok to encourage children hone their skills in fired clay bricks manufacture through this pilot project so as to secure sustainable jobs in future while promoting community-based development in their respective localities.

Aimé Ngidjol

Senior Staff/CELCOM