By IKOME CHRISTIE-NOELLA EPOSI
It was during an impromptu visit to the city of excellence (Buea) on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, that the Minister of Secondary education, Dr. Pauline Nalova Lyonga Egbe congratulated the G.C.E markers for braving all the odds amidst the difficult times just to get their work done. She saluted their braveness and passion for their jobs as teachers, examiners and markers.
The MINSEC boss was present to evaluate the marking process of the just ended 2019 session of the Cameroon General Certificate Examinations (G.C.E).
Addressing the multitude of educational stakeholders who reported present at the GCE Board to welcome her, Minister Nalova said she was indeed pleased with the G.C.E board which she described as being ‘truly alive and active’. She was received by the Registrar of the board Dang Akuh Dominic. While encouraging the examiners, the MINSEC boss assured them of special security measures which have been put in place to ensure that the marking process goes through successfully.
marking sessions
The Minister while in the hall called for a moment of prayers in memory of one Che William Neba, an examiner who collapsed and died at the GCE marking centre and one other secretariat that equally passed away during this marking period.
“We still have good teachers with a reputation. Things are going on very well, we have finished the practical and written part of the examinations and now we are in for marking. We are confident that everything will go through successfully”, the Minister averred.
To the academic family, Minister Lyonga reiterated on the need for parents to send their children back to school because “one without education is one without a generation. Let us not allow ourselves be deceived by those whose children are schooling in Europe but want ours to remain at home doing nothing”, she advised.
Stating the raison d’etre of her spontaneous visit, the July guest said she came to evaluate the level of diligence of the G.C.E markers/examiners: “The teachers should continue being who we know they are. These are people who have sacrificed a lot, cut their fingers, done all sorts of things but they are still there”.
From the Cameroon G.C.E board, the Minister then visited some marking centres notably the Bilingual Grammar School Molyko, GTHS Molyko and GHS Bokwango, where she met one on one with the markers and expressed satisfaction with the work done so far.
The marking exercise of the 2019 session of the G.C.E started on Saturday June 29 2019 and is expected to run for 10 days. It is recorded that there are about 6,000 examiners spread across the 12 marking centres in Buea.
Accompanying the Minister during her visit were such as the governor of the South west region Bernard Okalia Bilai, the South West Regional Delegate of Secondary Education Dr. Hannah Etonde Mbua, the G.C.E Board registrar and other dignitaries.