By Wasso Norbert Binde
The Minister of Secondary Education, Prof. Nalova Lyonga has slammed the no-back-to-school message being propounded by separatist fighters in the South West and North West regions of the country.
Prof. Nalova wondered whether if many of the proponents of this devilish doctrine would have been able to reach the levels they have attained if they didn’t go to school.
Prof. Nalova was addressing the population of Bafoussam on Monday, September 16 at the Government Technical High School during the launching of the 2024/2025 school year and the reception of a block of 12 classrooms and offices solely constructed and equipped by Senator Ngouchinghe Sylvestre.
She hammered that every child must go to school because it is a fundamental right.
She praised parents in the West for showing determination to send their children to school.
“It is with determination that we’re going to defeat these negative calls”, she said.
Prof. Nalova Lyonga extolled the benefits of the reforms she introduced in the secondary education sector. “We have set standards” and this year the students that passed merited their pass. She noted that there were a lot of failures this year due to the new standards. The standard requires that students must have at least 10/20 to pass instead of 06/20 which obtained in previous years.
The minister harped on her recurrent theme which is parents’ involvement in the training and education of their children. She noted that when parents are actively involved, society is better off, decrying the alarming rate of indiscipline by students. She was concerned with the upward tick in the consumption of drugs in schools and called for serious and collective action.
She particularly urged girls to take studies seriously over and above their high-heel shoes and beautiful dresses.
On the retroceding of a block of 12 classrooms and offices at Government Technical High School Bafoussam by Senator Ngouchinghe Sylvestre, the minister was particularly pleased because it was a single-handed effort by the Senator and which is not an isolated effort because he’s done others before.
She told the Senator who owns the largest fish importation and distribution company, Congelcam, that, “we have seen you feed the nation with fish, now we’re seeing what you’re doing with the education sector”.
The offer of the structure falls within the minister’s vision of providing adequate infrastructure and equipping workshops of technical schools and vocational training centres which are key to quality education. The minister welcomed stakeholders who are willing to invest in building infrastructure and providing materials for laboratories and workshops.
She called on parents and students not to run away from technical and vocational education because they can effectively impact development just like general education.
Bafoussam City Mayor, Daniel Ndefonkou, the Principal of GTHS Bafoussam and Senator Ngouchinghe all heartily welcomed the minister, praising her for the reforms introduced in ministerial department which are today having positive effects. They pledged their support to her efforts and that of President Paul Biya’s government.
Minister Nalova praised the people of the West and Bafoussam for the economic and intellectual acumen, calling Bafoussam a smart city.
Before closing her speech, Prof. Nalova went political, introducing a Fako IA YCPDM team from Limbe led by its president, Ekema Roland Ngale.
The team was in Bafoussam to donate 2,000 customised Paul Biya exercise books, a concept of the minister who with each passing is becoming more adept and proactive in politics.
The books were handed to the regional delegate of Secondary Education for the West Region.
The massively attended launching of the 2024/2025 school year was a hugely spiced ceremony.
The administration led by Governor Awa Fonka, political and traditional leaders and the education family were fully and actively present. There was also gyrating musical performances.