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A COOPERATION TO BOOST SECONDARY EDUCATION IN CAMEROON.

The Minister of Secondary Education, Prof Nalova Lyonga, granted an audience to a delegation from the Commonwealth Secretariat, led by Evelyn Pedersen (Head of Strategy, Learning & Evaluation), on Thursday, 15 June 2023 at the Distance Education Centre. The working session aimed at assessing the state of cooperation between the Commonwealth and Cameroon in the sector of secondary education.

This working session was held in presence of Mr Bayaola Boniface (MINESEC Secretary of State), Prof Nkot Fabien (MINESEC Secretary General), Mrs Anne Oben, Commonwealth Director at the Ministry of External Relations, Head of MINREX delegation. The meeting was a cordial and fruitful exchange on aspects of collaboration between the Commonwealth Secretariat and Cameroon, and an opportunity to harmonize actions undertaken by MINESEC and MINREX in connection to this collaboration.

The encounter allowed the Commonwealth Secretariat to identify key aspects on which they could strengthen their cooperation with Cameroon in the domain of education, their main working method being to respond to the country’s articulated needs and strategies (in order to align with the country’s policy, legislation and education framework). The delegation was given an overview of Cameroon’s strategy in the education sector. As such, among others, the cooperation would focus on:

-Helping to palliate the lack of teachers in some fields;

-Putting more input in training trainers;

-Strengthening the capacity of students to become creators of jobs/entrepreneurs (technical and vocational schools);

-Supporting MINESEC in the digitalization of teaching;

-Facilitating exchanges between the Cameroonian education sector and other Commonwealth countries (with the help of MINREX).

The Commonwealth Secretariat appreciates and is ready to support the initiative undertaken by Cameroon to boost Gabon and Togo bilingualism, Cameroon having a long experience in French/English bilingualism. Gabon and Togo, two countries with no historic ties to Britain, became the 55^th and 56^th members of the Commonwealth on 25 June 2022.

The meeting of this day goes in the same line with the audience the Minister of Secondary Education granted to the visiting President of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, Lord Jonathan Peter Marland, on Wednesday, 11 October 2022, still at the Distance Education Centre. They brainstormed on ways to carry forward distance education in Cameroon.

May this cooperation with the Commonwealth Secretariat grow firmer and the result positively impact our education system.

ABILAMEKOU B. THEODORE

SENIOR OFFICIAL/CELCOM

2023 SESSION OF GCE EXAMINATIONS

The Minister of Secondary Education Assesses Examination Conditions in Three Accommodation Centres in Yaounde.

The written phase of examinations organised by the GCE-Board kick started on Tuesday, 30 May 2023 nationwide on a satisfactory note.

On this occasion, Secondary Education Minister, Prof Nalova Lyonga flanked by Boniface Bayaola, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Secondary Education in charge of Teachers’ Training, visited 3 centres accommodating candidates for the GCE-Advanced and Ordinary Levels for the 2023 session.

Government Bilingual Practising High School Yaounde (LBA), Government Bilingual High School Ekounou and Government Bilingual High School Nkol-Eton are the three centres visited by MINESEC officials.

The minister and her delegation were particularly interested in the provisions made to safely accommodate candidates with special needs. They checked hygiene and sanitation conditions in these centres, paying attention to examination halls to make sure they were conducive for all candidates. The main recommendations made were to preserve a healthy environment in all accommodation centres, improve the reception conditions for candidates with special needs and not allow candidates in full-term pregnancy to sit in for the exams.

“Overall, all the exams are going on well. So we are quite happy”, Prof Nalova Lyonga said at the end of the tour.

By A. Ngidjol

Senior Staff/CELCOM

PROMOTION OF QUALITY EDUCATION

Infrastructure and Business Incubators in Schools under Scrutiny

7 schools in the Mfoundi Division hosted top officials of the Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC) concerned about the teaching conditions of learners.

The Minister of Secondary Education, Prof Nalova Lyonga, in the company of Boniface Bayaola, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Secondary Education in charge of Teachers’ Training (SEESEN), toured 7 schools in Yaounde, on Monday, 20 March 2023. This was to appraise the construction of school infrastructure and check the effective operation of business incubators in some schools.

School infrastructure are key in achieving quality education. It is in this context that officials of MINESEC undertook a visit to review major school infrastructure projects underway in Vocational Secondary School Ekounou, Government Bilingual Technical College Mewoulou and Government Bilingual High School Nyom. In each site, the Minister and her delegation enquired about the execution rate of works and gave clear recommendations, including full compliance with contract specifications.

The ministerial delegation made a stopover at Government High School Elig-Essono where 6 classrooms get flooded whenever rain falls, owing to the obstruction of the existing waterways. Consultation between local residents and officials of both the Ministry of Secondary Education and the Ministry of State Property and Land Tenure is envisaged to end this predicament.

Government Secondary School Mendong offered a brighter image with its completed G+1 building, comprising 8 classrooms, offices and well specified toilets for girls and boys.

At Government Bilingual High School Essos, the Minister was satisfied with the playground which was refurbished to promote safe and professional sport practice. Upon completion, this sport complex will be scalable into 1 handball court, 2 volleyball and basketball courts and 1 lawn tennis court.

With increasing emphasis being laid on imparting knowledge and job-ready skills in students, business incubators are functional in Government Bilingual Technical College Mewoulou and Government Technical High School Ekounou; this aims to provide learners with hands-on training in Home Economics as well as Boiler and Industrial Piping respectively.

At GBTC Mewoulou, Prof Nalova Lyonga advised students to always observe hygiene and sanitation measures in handling foodstuffs destined for human consumption. She equally urged the principal of the school to train learners in book-keeping, so as to equip them with accountability skills necessary for their future professional success.

At GTHS Ekounou, students made and displayed iron-cast products, including gates, bannisters, curtain holders, ovens, barbecues and benches. After appraising the products, the Minister urged teachers to train learners in a way that they will be able to face the stiff competition in the job market. As such, learners must be encouraged to improve finishes and use quality materials.

The assessment visit which started in the Centre Region will be extended to the South and Littoral Regions.

Aimé Ngidjol

Senior Staff/CELCOM

MINESEC Women, at the Heart of Digitalization.

Weeklong activities leading up to the celebration of the 38^th edition of the International Women’s Day ended with pump and fanfare in MINESEC

The ball was set rolling in the Ministry of Secondary Education with a capacity building seminar on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This was the major innovative activity this year’s international women’s day celebration in MINESEC as explained by the gender focal point of MINESEC, Mme. Bernadette MBIAH epse Sansi.

From the 02 to the 07 of March 2023, women of the central and external services of the Ministry of Secondary Education took turns in building their capacities in Information and Communication Technologies at the Teachers’ Resource Center in Yaoundé.

Then ensued a panel discussion on the IWD 2023 theme “Digit ALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”, moderated by Technical Adviser No. 03 at the Ministry of Secondary Education, Mme Poss Mangong Marie Julie Elise. During this discussion, panelists underscored the importance of protecting the rights of women and girls in digital spaces and addressing online gender-based violence. They emphasized the need for an inclusive and transformative technology and digital education which is crucial for a sustainable future. The theme is aligned with the priority theme for the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women CSW – 67 “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”. 

True to its tradition of ensuring the health and wellbeing of the women, a free eye screening campaign was on the menu. According Dr. WANYANG, née MAINDURYANG Madeleine, sub-director in charge of health in the Department of guidance counselling, school life and educational assistance, eye problems are the most frequent health issue recorded in her department. That is why it was deemed necessary for a free eye screening campaign to be carried out. A culinary art exhibition, showcasing menus from the four cultural areas of Cameroon was also done by the women.

All these activities culminated in a beautiful parade at the 20^th May ceremonial ground after which Prof Nalova Lyonga, Minister of Secondary Education, offered an exquisite cocktail to the staff of her ministerial department.

K. T. Lois Ngek

ARO N°2