Enhancing learning and schools infrastructure:

MTN Foundation donates three primary schools to gov’t

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

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The Mobile Telephone Network Company, MTN Cameroon has handed over three newly constructed modern primary schools worth over 259 million FCFA to the Ministry of Basic Education. The solemn handover ceremony for the three schools took place in the campus of Government School Kake I, near Kumba, on Friday 7 October 2016.

The event that was presided over by the Minister of Basic Education, YoussoufaHadidjaAlim in the presence of the MTN Foundation Board of Trustees Chairman, H.E. Peter MafanyMusonge and MTN Cameroon’s Board of Directors Chairman, Colin EbarkoMukete and the CEO of MTN Cameroon, Mrs. PhilisiweSibiya was organized within the framework of MTN Foundation’s “Yello Schools” programme.

                The three modern schools handed to government include Government Primary School BondumaBokoko in Buea, Government School Kake I in Kumba and Government School KumbeBalondo in EkondoTiti.

                The donation is the fruit of a partnership between MTN Foundation and the Ministry of Basic Education dubbed the “Yello Schools” programme that seeks “to enhance school infrastructures in order to provide pupils and teachers with an appropriate learning environment, and pedagogic facilities.”

                It is projected that the 6 classrooms, an administrative office, modern toilets for boys, girls and teachers, a water point, 180 benches and a fence for the security in each of the three schools will benefit 600 students every year. Alongside the infrastructure, MTN Foundation also donated didactic materials comprising books, pens and school bags to the schools.

              Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, the chairman of the MTN Board of trustees, H.E. MafanyMusonge hailed the MINEDUB for coming personally to preside over the hand-over ceremony. He said the donations were a demonstration of the contribution of the private sector in helping the government to attain the Sustainable Development Goals prescribed by the UN. MolaMusonge listed used the occasion to list other goodwill gestures that MTN Foundation has made to government and local communities since its creation in 2006 including the construction and/or refurnishing of 54 classrooms in 15 primary schools in 7 regions of the country, installation of 50 multi-media centres in secondary schools that benefit over 100.000 students and more than 4000 teachers in the ten regions and the facilitating access to basic education to more than 16000 orphans and underprivileged children among others.

                For her part, the Minister of Basic Education, YoussoufHadidjaAlim, thanked the MTN Foundation for the wonderful gesture which she said will go a long way to enhance the education of young boys and girls in Cameroon. She urged the Head teachers of the beneficiary schools to make judicious use of the donations.

                Taking the queue, the MTN Board of Directors Chairman, Colin E. Mukete, acknowledged the presence of the MINEDUB in Kake I, Kumba and interpreted it to mean a clear recognition by the government of MTN’s contribution and commitment to making quality education accessible to all in Cameroon as well as proof of the positive and constructive relationship between MTN Cameroon and the government and the people of Cameroon over the years. He thanked the traditional authorities of the three target localities for providing the land on which the schools were built.

                Welcoming his guests earlier, the government delegate to the Kumba city council thanked MTN Foundation for the exemplary and commendable gesture which he said will not only benefit the schools concerned but will add to the beauty of the three localities.

                The head teacher of GS Kake I, Mrs. Taku Agnes Nkume also thanked MTN Foundation for the donation and said the modern infrastructure and didactic materials will enhance the performance of the schools in public examinations.

                The handing over ceremony was witnessed among others by political and administrative elite of the SW and a crowd of curious onlookers. Traditional dances and choral singing by school pupils graced the occasion.