By DANIELA ITOE NGUM
Candidates of the 2019 session of the General Certificate of Education, GCE in Kumba have defied threats from separatist fighters and sit the exams.
The exams which commenced on Monday, May 27, a day popularly observed as ghost town in the North West and South West Regions still registered a great success as the candidates, despite all odds, were present at their various examination centres.
Given the prevailing circumstances in Kumba, only three institutions; GBHS Station, CCAS Kumba and St. Francis College Fiango harboured the various centres.
Meanwhile, Mundemba and Bangem technical candidates joined their counterparts at GTHS Kumba for the Technical GCE exams.
Out of the nine centres at GBHS Kumba, only one student was absent, meanwhile, all students were present in the 15 centres in CCAS Kumba and in the four centres at GTHS Kumba.
Meme SDO, Chamberlain Ntou’ou Ndong after touring the examination centres, praised the turnout of the candidates.
“I want to say that the attendance is very positive. CCAS Kumba has more than 1,000 candidates, at GBHS Station you saw them and we are now at the level of GTHS Kumba, this shows that things are moving. We thank the security for the work they are doing, as we know the exercise is not easy, we are facing a very difficult situation but it is also a testimony that gradually the population has understood there is nothing without school that we have to support our students, encouraging them to go back to school because without school their future is not guaranteed’, Meme SDO said.
Talking about security measures put in place, the SDO said “This year you can see for yourself, we have increased security as compared to last year and am sure by the grace of God everything is going to go well”.
However, national statistics revealed that due to the ongoing crisis in the two English speaking regions of the country, both Ordinary and Advanced Levels recorded a 17% drop in registration. A total of 110,543 candidates registered for the 2019 GCE session as against 133,104 candidates in 2018.