Towards Effective Classes:

Gov’t Woos Teachers, Students with Excellence Awards

-Minister prescribes intensive catch-up classes

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Minister of Secondary Education, Ernest Masena Ngale Bibehe

The Divisional Delegate of Secondary Education for Meme has revealed that the Minister of Secondary Education, Ernest Masena Ngale Bibehe, has set out measures to motivate teachers in the restive Anglophone regions to continue teaching despites threats from Ambazonia fighters. Aghim Abunaw Obase Junior made the revelation in Kumba recently, while chairing the midterm consultation and evaluation meeting of the secondary education family in Meme.

                “The Minister of Secondary Education has instituted an excellence award to recognize and compensate teachers who excel in their work. There are also awards for the best performing students and principals,” Aghim said, calling on both teachers and students to all put hands on deck for classes to be effective.

                He said the authorities will not relent in their efforts at getting parents to send their children to school.

                Quizzed on the main preoccupations of the various principals in at the meeting, the Delegate said many issues were raised at the midterm evaluation meeting, but that the main issue is security.

                “The parents are willing to send their children to school but the security situation is still frightening,” Abunaw Aghim said, noting that despite the challenges Kumba urban has recorded about 80-85% school resumption and effective teaching, while the rural areas of the division are still lagging behind with barely 45-55% school attendance.

                On what will be done concerning the much talked about security situation, the Delegate noted as a technical adviser to the SDO who represents the President and the Ministers he will write a report and send to the SDO concerning the worrying security situation around schools.

                The delegate stressed on the issue of catch-up classes that must be respected by all school principals as prescribed by the Minister.

                “The catch-up classes we organized from September 4th to November 11th 2017 were aimed to cover material lost during the 2016-2017 academic year. But the one we are about to have is to make up for what has been lost this year,” Aghim Abunaw said, affirming that the Minister’s circular will be implemented to the letter.