Forest Conservation:

223 Foresters Graduate from Mbalmayo Forestry School

Story by Deng Eric in Yaounde

223 Foresters Graduate from Mbalmayo Forestry School

Forestry and Wildlife Minister, Jules Doret Ndongo has challenged trainees of the 2016-2018 batch of students of the National Forestry School Mbalmayo in the Centre region to be ready to contribute their quota in the protection of Cameroon’s rich forest s and wildlife species which are under threats with deforestation and poaching activities still gaining grounds in some parts of the country.

            He made the call Thursday August 29, 2018 at the esplanade of the training institution as he chaired the diploma award ceremony of some 223 forestry technicians and specialists who had completed their two years classroom work, military training and field experience through internships.

            The Minister made it abundantly clear to the graduates that they will have to show proof of competence and put the knowledge gained in school into practice for them to easily integrate the job market. “You must not retreat in the face of challenges. Make sure the knowledge you gained during your two year stay in this institution is not put in your drawers. You have to be watchdogs of the rich fauna and flora Cameroon boasts of” said Minister Ndongo.

            The Forestry minister lauded the quality of training offer trainees at the Mbalmayo forestry school, adding that government and its development partners is working on the professional insertion of the graduates. While disclosing that scholarships will be made available for best trainees to eventually study in the second cycle of the school to soon go operational, Doret Ndongo said negotiations are also underway with the private sector to boost the quality of training.

            Described as a centre of excellence in Cameroon and in the central African sub region in the training of experts in forest, water and environment management, the school authorities were told by the Minister to adapt training programs that respond to present day needs.

            Partner organizations and institutions such as the Central African Forestry and Environment Training Institution Network, the French Development Agency, German Technical Cooporation, GIZ, World Wide Fund For Nature, WWF and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN among others were singled out for praise by Minister Doret Ndongo who said partnership has led to more infrastructural development, availability of scholarships for teaching and training staff as well as support and training to students on internship.

            The minister used the graduation ceremony to inaugurate a new documentation centre for the school constructed with funding from the International Tropical Forestry and Environment Institute.

            Earlier on, the school’s director, Mbock Germain, boasted that the trainees they are sending into the job market are qualified thanks to the commitment of the staff of the institution and their partners. He requested the support from the forestry ministry for more reforms to be instituted in the school for the benefit of the trainees.

            The best graduating student of the 69th batch of graduate of the National Forestry School Mbamayo Tchuente Tagne Charles Rostand had an overall score of 17.5/20. The graduation ceremony was witnessed among others by the Secretary of State and Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife alongside family members and loved ones of the graduating trainees.