Wilfred Enow Agbor
Yaounde, Cameroon.
The traditional statement made by some French speaking Cameroonians “LE CAMEROUN EST BILINGUE MAIS PAS TOUS LES CAMEROUNAIS (ES)” will in the days ahead become old fashioned and history as the government seeks to redress this situation, by encouraging bilingualism.
Following the decision adopted by the government in December 2008 to introduce into the francophone sub section of education “BRIVE D’ETUDE DE PREMIER CYCLE”(BEPC), the Bilingual BPC examination. According to the innovations, the Francophone students will not only sit for exams in the French language but will have an opportunity to sit for the exams in English language. Likewise for the Anglophone students.
To this effect the first batch of 1200 candidates met on for the very first time making history to take on their bilingual BEPC examination in the different parts of the country in their respective examination centers amongst which was CES NGOA EKELLE Campus in Yaounde.
First batch of students sit for bilingual exams at the CES Ngoa-ekelle campus in Yaounde
According to statistics from a total of 1200candidates taking the bilingual exams 675 are mail while 525are females.
Mvondo Willie a chief of center explains that the exams is organised in two parts. The first which is the written part and the second part will be oral .While some of the candidates will still be busy with the written part others will be doing the orals.
Mrs Veronica an invigilator added that the candidates will be tested in aspects of health environment, physical education amongst others.
In the CES Ngoa-ekelle examination center 175candidates are from the Eastern Region of Cameroon and are all having francophone background .
Kandem DOMINIQUE a candidate says he is prepared and not afraid to sit for the English Language examination. He added that though from a francophone background, his parents encourage English language at home and in addition he has been taking English language classes in preparations for the exams.
The Government’s objective for this examination is to ensure that at level of secondary schools, Cameroonian youths should be conversant with the both languages and use them equitably in communication to uphold the bilingualism of the country.
The government is putting everything in place to start up with the Bilingual GCE in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon come 2014. An innovation worth applauded.
