Back to school without tears

Tiko Council, FATE donate to pupils
By Sarah Nkongho Ojong in Tiko
Some 12 pupils of selected primary schools in the basic education sector of Tiko sub division benefitted from a scholarship scheme organized by an NGO, Foundation of Applied Technology and Education, FATE in partnership with the Tiko council, Friday, September 19, 2014 at the Tiko council hall.
    In fulfillment of a convention that was signed some months back between the council and FATE, the pupils from 4 different schools of both mission and government backgrounds, received the sum of 20,000fcfa each to cover expenses for their fees and basic school needs for this academic year.
    Among the beneficiaries were Elongwe Kangwe, Ndu Patience, Hassan Nguedia all of Presbyterian School Missellele; Ojong Miriam, Masango Beltha of Government School Mudeka, Samiratou Koyeh, Nsum Sindra, Nadji Dairou, Nsum Serge of Catholic School Mudeka and Samuel Che and Precious tango of Catholic School Missellele.

    Talking to the press, Fate President who doubles as a Councilor of the Tiko Council, Barrister Ajong Stanislaus expressed immense joy and gratitude to their partners in the United States and Tiko council for their close and collaborator relationship in making sure that the scholarship program being a very impactful mission comes to realization. The President went further to throw some light on their next project which looks forward to the importation and distribution of some computers to those schools within the municipality in dire need of computer knowledge so that the pupils gain some technological know how and be of use in the industrial sector, because “there is no development without knowledge of computer” he rounded off.
    It is f great importance to note that besides helping the destitute in society, FATE is also involved in the advancement of education in the field of technology. According to one of its members, Menkeh randy Ngoran who was part of the support program to the vulnerable, their main objective is to see how technology can be fully incorporated into the educational system of Tiko in particular and Cameroon in general so that the country can successfully arrive the dream of emergence by 2035.
    Mayor Moukondo Daniel Ngande of the Tiko council on his part, much delighted over the merger between the council and FATE while describing children of today’s world as leaders of the Cameroon of 2035, assured them of taking away all their qualms.                                              It     Should be noted that some of these pupils who benefitted from the scholarship at the primary level were supposed to have been in the secondary by now if not of the financial huddle that interrupted their educational journey. A prominent case discovered by The Median was that of Ojong Miriam who had stayed home for good 2 years following her father, Ojong Michael’s ill-health situation that rendered him helpless in the pursuance of his own daughter’s dream of going to school.
During the occasion, Mr. Ojong on behalf of all parents, thanked FATE and the council for such benevolent act and went further to tell The Median that the day was like a dream come true to him seeing his daughter go to school again after 2years of staying at home.
    The Mayor however called on the population of Tiko and beyond not to allow the burden of helping the needy fall on the shoulders of the government, “all of us in our own small ways can wipe out tears in the eyes of children” he cried out.
    Handling cases where some children even failed to get themselves registered for the first school leaving certificate examination for lack of birth certificate, the Mayor described it as very pathetic while adding that it is the duty of all citizens, the basic education sector, the community to identify such appalling cases of extreme need, create an information synergy with possible helpers who can bridge the gap, that way society is made better for all.
    As for the sustainability of the convention and its works which are for the benefit of the poor, the mayor assured them that the supervisory authority over councils in Fako, the SDO, Zang III has visa-ed the vision for the next decade, thus, its existence is guaranteed even in his absence as mayor of the municipality.