HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NATIONAL WEEK OF BILINGUALISM IN THE MINISTRY OF SECONDARY EDUCATION
BILINGUALISM: VECTOR FOR DIGITALIZATION OF EDUCATION AND THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC AND MORAL VALUES FOR A PEACEFUL AND EMERGENT CAMEROON
The National Week of Bilingualism in Cameroon recently unfolded with a series of events aimed at promoting bilingualism and fostering national unity. The weeklong celebration commenced with a grand opening ceremony held in Bertoua, the land of the rising sun and featured a range of activities in schools, radio campaigns, a special bilingualism day at the premises of the Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC) and a closing ceremony presided over by the Minister of Secondary Education, Professor Nalova Lyonga.
The week kicked off on Monday, 29 January 2024, with a vibrant opening ceremony held in Bertoua, in the East Region of Cameroon, presided over by the Secretary of State in MINESEC in Charge of Teachers Training, Boniface Bayaola in the presence of government officials, educators, students and other stakeholders. The ceremony showcased cultural performances, speeches and other activities emphasizing the importance of bilingualism, while unveiling the week’s objectives and the theme “Bilingualism: Vector for Digitalization of Education and the Promotion of Civic and Moral Values for a Peaceful and Emergent Cameroon”.
From Monday, 29 January to Tuesday, 6 February 2024, secondary schools across the country actively participated in promoting bilingualism. Teachers organized special classroom activities such as debates, presentations, and cultural exchanges aimed at enhancing a deeper understanding of their linguistic heritage.
In order to reach a wider audience, radio campaigns played a pivotal role during the National Week of Bilingualism as some Regional and National Pedagogic Inspectors of MINESEC enlightened the general public on the significance of this year’s theme.
A significant highlight of this week was the Special Bilingualism Day, hosted at the premises of MINESEC on Wednesday, 31 January 2024. This event brought together students and supervisors from some schools in Yaounde (Government Bilingual Practicing High School Yaounde, Government Bilingual High School Etoug-ebe, Government Bilingual High School Yaounde and Lycée Général Leclerc). The students focused on awareness campaign during their guided tours to the various offices at the ministry, emphasizing the importance of mastering and using both English and French languages. Besides this awareness campaign, there was a book exhibition, where works encouraging bilingualism were promoted.
By JOSO Sophie
ARO2-CELCOM