Post-2015 Development Goals

Cameroonian Youths told to play active role
By Ajongakou Santos in Buea 
Youths were at the center of events in a conference on Post-2015 United Nations Development Agenda at the Amphitheatre 150C of the University of Buea recently as officials of Building Bridges (B.B) and Educate a Child in Africa (E.C.A) which are in partnership with the Embassy of the Netherlands and Voice of Women Initiative (VOW) converged on the University campus with the aim building bridges that keep youths away from developmental issues.
    These youths and youth group representatives were active in the deliberations on the success of the Millennium Development Goals that focused on six key issues considered most important for an enhanced future and how they can be best achieved.
    Working to ensure that the dreams of these youth are realized, the conference, chaired and coordinated by Gideon A. Asaah- Youth Ambassador for Building Bridges and Co-founder and C.E.O of Educate a Child in Africa, together with Jilt Van Stayik and Teun Maleupas, co-founders of Building Bridges who are cycling through 21 African States and participating in youth conferences in Africa was geared towards the importance of quality education in the fight against poverty in Cameroon. In doing so, they adopted the Post-2015 UN Development Goals but unlike the case in 2000, the youths have been given a chance to participate in setting goals aimed at empowering them and seeking solutions to their problems.

    In line with this a survey carried out by the E.C.A and presented by Awah Blessing, titled ‘the World We Want’, in which  over 1630 respondents from all regions of Cameroon came up with six out of the 16 different items stressed by young people as their top priorities in today’s Cameron.     According to the results, of the survey, good quality education, better job opportunities, access to clean water and sanitation, better transport and roads, better healthcare and an honest and responsive government were what a great number of youths in Cameroon want in the Cameroon they want to be in.
    The results however prompted arguments at the conference suggesting that education be more professional, talents be encouraged, specialization be promoted, bribery and corruption shunned and financial problems addressed while creativity and output be valued and not mouthwatering certificates. In a stage presentation, the god given idiots of the University of Buea ridiculed the system of education said to be characterized by theory work and with little or no practical skills which in turn send out young people to look for jobs or create jobs when they are not trained to do so.
    In line with proposals on some of the difficulties faced in the educational section and other problems like water and sanitation together with the other four prioritize needs were also discussed and solutions proposed.
    At the end of the conferebce, Teun Maleupas, one of the two cyclists and co-founder for B.B told The Median that, they have heard that the educational systems of most African countries is plagued with problems reason why sundry youths never get jobs after getting their certificates. . For this, he emphasized that practical education and entrepreneurship be encouraged in Cameroon and Africa at large. On his part, Jilt Van Stayik one of the cyclists and co-founder for B.B insisted; “We heard from many young people and if I was put in a place to suggest what needs to be done, I will tell whoever takes decisions not only talk about young people, but also make them part of the decision taking bodies”.