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| Louis Bapes Bapes: Minister of Secondary Education Cameroon |
Theme:
“Professionalization Of Teaching For The Education Of Citizens Capable Of
Sustaining Growth”
The Head of State, while showing us
the way forward, also bearing witness to the reality of ongoing reform in our
education system.
In this respect, the 2014–2015
school year was marked by the continuing process of adapting education to the
new socio–economic and professional environment on the one hand, and updating
our pedagogic approaches on the other. All planned activities were carried out,
in the Adamawa, the East and the Far North Regions. Significant progress was
made in many areas including the introduction of new vocational disciplines and
specialties such as hospital–biomedical maintenance, biological and medical and
health science and technology, jewellery – goldsmitthing, etc.
In light of the progress already
made and the many challenges that lie ahead, I deemed it appropriate to place
the new school year under the theme: “Professionalisation
of Teaching for the Education of Citizens Capable of Sustaining Growth”.
Indeed, our educational system has to adapt to different life situations in
order to train citizens who are capable of propelling Cameroon to the projected
emergence of 2035.
Specifically, in 2015–2016, the
electromechanical maintenance and surveyor/topographer specialties will be
implemented. In addition to actions already underway to professionalise
education, emphasis will be laid on strengthening partnership with the
socio–professional milieurs through the intensification of work–study training
and teacher development with internships in companies.
Finally, efforts will focus on
making significant progress with the creation of vocational high schools for
the training of high–performing personnel in viable professions as set forth in
the Education and Training Sector Strategy. The ultimate goal is the
construction of at least one vocational high school per Region.
Emphasis
will also be placed on developing entrepreneurship in schools, enhancing competitiveness, valorizing science,
languages and our cultural heritage.
Such professionalization of
education concerns all pedagogic and didactic activities carried out in our
schools. Indeed, the road to professionalization is through the improvement of
the quality of contents, methods and training activities.
These lofty prospects can only be
translated into the concrete reality if our schools continue to be a training
ground for responsible citizens in a healthy environment characterized by civic
responsibility, rigour and moral rectitude. Consequently, the fight against
corruption, fraud, indiscipline and deviant behavior of all kinds, will be
enhanced.
These efforts are necessary in
order to build the exemplary nation that the President of the Republic dreams
of for Cameroon. Therefore, teachers and education officials must inculcate the
values of honesty, moral integrity and the respect for people and property in
our progeny.
Regardless of the
socio–professional level or area in which they find themselves, the young
people who graduate from our educational institutions should be capable of
initiating and developing major projects that must contribute in making our
country attain its development goals.
Considering the issues at stake,
all my collaborators (at various levels) and students (the main beneficiaries
of our educational endeavours) are collectively and severally invited to play
their part so that the theme of the 2015/2016 school year does not remain an
empty slogan.
Distinguished
Pedagogic Inspectors and Advisers,
Your effective presence in the
field to follow–up, supervise and closely monitor pedagogic activities will
undoubtedly guarantee the appropriation and implementation of the theme of the
2015/2016 school year by teachers. In this regard, you will have to ensure the
proper implementation of curricula and the new teaching evaluation methods.
Dear
Principals,
I urge you to intensify measures to
ensure that teachers are punctual and assiduous. You should also promote
discipline among students. You should lay particular emphasis on:
·
The practice of
Manual Work,
·
The
establishment of conditions conducive to learning,
·
The acquisition
of working materials and appropriate equipment for libraries, laboratories and
specialized rooms,
·
The promotion of
arts education by creating and supervising Arts Clubs,
·
The organization
of Open House Days in your various institutions and
·
The
strengthening of partnerships with companies
Dear
Teachers,
The Cameroon nation has entrusted
you with the exact and challenging task of moulding its youth by preparing it
for successful social inclusion and responsible citizenship. I therefore urge
you, against the backdrop of our professionalization goals, to ensure that
syllabuses are covered both quantitatively and qualitatively. You should be
professional in your classroom practices and raise the awareness of our
students about the prevailing terrorist threat and about the need to be alert
and vigilant.
My
Dear Students and Children,
You should be aware of the efforts
and sacrifices made for you by the education community. Therefore, I urge you
to make more effort and to work even harder in order to become real agents of
growth. You should remain vigilant and do not get distracted by anything that
draws your away from your main goal: success.
Distinguished
Promoters of Private Schools,
As partners of the State in the
education of the youth, I urge you to accompany us in our endeavour to
professionalise education in our country. You should also be actively involved
in the fight against insecurity and violence in our schools.
Finally, I call on the entire
education community to support our valiant Soldiers and Forces of Law and Order
in their efforts to keep our country safe and secure.
Dear
Members of the Education Community,
The professionalization of our
education system concerns us all given that the building of a united, strong
and prosperous Cameroon depends on it.
While encouraging each and every
one of you not to relent in your efforts, I wish you a very successfully
2015/2016 school year.
