Palmers Has Done it Again

Palmers Has Done it Again

Palmers Bilingual Nursery and Primary School, Mbengwi has again scored a hundred percent in the government Common Entrance Examination. This information was made public during the graduation and prize award ceremony of the school that took place on Wednesday June 23rd 2021 in the Mbengwi council hall.

Upon arrival of the Divisional Officer for Mbengwi, Sakwe Jarvis Esapa who was received at the entrance into the hall with a bouquet of flowers, activities of the day began effectively under the watchful eyes of the the mayor to the Mbengwi Council, Ndangsa Kennedy Akam, his first deputy Doreen Fonjong Anwi epse Agwe, second deputy, Kadiri Amadu, the Momo Divisional Delegate of Basic Education, Ful Richard and a host of other dignitaries.

Graduating Pupils & Officials

In her welcome address, the school's Head Mistress, Petiangmbo Honorine regretted that despite all efforts put in by her staff and the administration of the school to provide the children the best of quality education, it was unfortunate some parents failed to pay the complete fees that was required of them for their kids. Despite this financial challenge, she reiterated that no child was deprived of any of the services offered by the school because of incompletion of fees. However, a warning note was sounded that such leniency won't be tolerated next academic year. 

One of the most exceptional activity of the day was an academic procession where the graduating students and some school officials, clad in graduation robes solemnly marched into the hall to the rhythm of a classical sound track. The high point of the graduation ceremony was when the kids took to the stage to perform various intellectual and entertainment activities they had been trained in  like fashion parade, ballet, rhymes, poems, singing just to name these few. 

L-R: Nyamnkah Rubby, Administrator, Doreen Fonjong, 1st Deputy Mayor, Sakwe Jarvis, Divisional Officer all Clad in Academic Robes

While addressing the parents, pupils and guests, Nyamkah Rubby Tangyi, the school administrator recognised the various supports that came in to give the event the success it deserved after appeal letters were dished out. He cited names like the Meta Women of Peace, Bamenda branch, the Mbengwi Central Cooperative Credit Union,  the Meta Students Association among others. The efforts of the entire teaching staff of the school were also recognized and appreciated as one of them, Madam Nubonyi Charlotte received an award as best teacher.

Palmers Bilingual Nursery and Primary School Mbengwi is one of the oldest lay private learning institutions at the basic education level in the subdivision. Owned by the current Member of Parliament for Momo East Constituency, Honourable Injoh Foo Ngang Prodencia, the school has trained and graduated hundreds of pupils. Worthy of note is the fact that the school gives a humanitarian touch to education meaning it's not just all about the money. 

Prizes that Were Awarded to the Pupils

For example this year, some 10 orphans from House of Hope Orphanage, Ngyen-Mbo were given scholarships by the proprietress herself to study at the school free of charge for a year. Some other five pupils had their fees paid still by the proprietress in a bid to encourage back to school. Despite the fact that a good number of pupils went home for the third term holiday still owing fees, through out the year, non was deprived of their daily breakfast. In addition, during the prize award session of the graduation ceremony, even some parents too were also distinctively recognised with prizes for their commitments in educating their at Palmers. 

Before the close of the occasion, the Divisional Officer of Mbengwi and the Mayor of the Mbengwi Council were also recognised for their incessant support for the growth of the renowned academic institution. For this, the duo were  decorated in robes too. The about 75 kids, total enrolment of the school all went back home with prizes after wining and dining. 

A Filled Mbengwi Council Hall During the Ceremony

The school has announced that it'll be organising holiday classes this long term holiday for slow learners to catch up considering the long period of school shutdown across the two English speaking regions of Cameroon as a result of the anglophone crisis. Lastly, it was announced that they'll be a school bus next academic year to ease the transportation of pupils.

Statistics from this years primary school results in Mbengwi central subdivision indicate that a total of 103 pupils sat for the Common Entrance General Exam out of which 98 passed and 5 failed. For Common Entrance Technical, 29 sat, 28 passed and 1 failed. 

Hon. Injoh Foo Ngang Prodensia, M.P Momo East, Mbengwi, Proprietress, Palmers Bilingual Nursery and Primary School, Mbengwi 

There are great expectations that there is going to be a great improvement in school enrolment come September 2022 as many parents who were still doubting if this academic year will run through successfully without being disturbed have had their worries cleared, reason why many are bringing back their children from the other French speaking regions they had sent the to for studies. 

Purple Robes in Njinmucho Signal Gradual Return of Old School Days

Purple Robes in Njinmucho Signal Gradual Return of Old School Days

For over two years, beginning from 2017, hundreds of thousands of kids across the two English speaking regions of Cameroon have been deprived of their basic right to education following a school shutdown call that was made by proponents of secession followed by attacks on teachers, pupils and students and at times kidnaps for ransom and arson on school buildings. In Mbengwi, schools like the Government Technical High School  located in Njindom, Government School Guneku and Mbemi plus even Catholic School Mbengwi and a host of others were torched.

Pioneer Batch of Graduating Pupils from St. Mark's Anglican Nursery and Primary School, Njinmucho, Mile 20 Mbengwi

By September 2020, following widespread condemnation of the tactic termed an abuse of human rights, some schools gradually began reopening their doors. Some teachers, peoples and students mustered courage to dare seat somewhere again for the teaching and learning process. Weeks and months and finally a full academic year successful passed by with little obstruction to education in Mbengwi. As such, at least 700 pupils and students out of the thousands the subdivision had in the yesteryears when there wasn't yet anything like Anglophone Crisis successfully sailed through the 2020/2021 academic year.

As many now go for the three months long term holiday, echoes gotten from across the subdivision indicate that performances were good. The newly established Presbyterian Primary School Guneku for example recorded a hundred percent pass for all its pupils that sat in for the Common Entrance Examination. Many students mostly in Presbyterian High School Mbengwi and Saint Joseph's College Mbengwi are currently seating in for the General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination that will see successful candidates progress to high school or university when results will be published. 

The phenomenon of "Graduation and Prize Award Ceremony" in schools is gradually returning. This month of June, many schools in Mbengwi have been organising such ceremonies for their kids and pupils. Even some referred to as Community Schools that came up as a remedial measure during this crisis period have been doing same. By Friday June 25th 2021, all schools in Mbengwi just like across the nation are expected to have closed for summer holiday.

Likely for the first time ever in the area, some 7 pupils likely for the first time also in their lives were clad in purple robes. This was on Thursday June 17 2021 as St. Mark's Anglican Nursery and Primary School, Mbengwi organised the pioneer graduation ceremony of its pioneer batch of kindergartens and pupils.

It was an exceptional day most especially for the kids who experienced what a graduation ceremony looks like at their own level especially the 7 kids that put on graduation robes and were handed Attestations. In addition, all the pupils received a souvenir gift of a soup bowl and some snacks.

Pioneer Batch of Graduating Pupils from St. Mark's Anglican Nursery and Primary School, Njinmucho, Mile 20 Mbengwi

Despite this, they were contented and their performances academically were good as in most of the classes, everyone passed. Talking to Mbengwi Online after witnessing the ceremony, Mami Monica Ayaba, a granny said, "I am so happy with this initiative because the children had been home for too long and were already losing knowledge. I'm happier because my grand child took the second position. May God bless the teachers and help us end the ongoing crisis"

Pioneer Teaching Staff of St. Mark's Anglican Nursery and Primary School

Pa Ndah Emmanuel Muki, a grand dad that also came to witness the event told us he was marvelled with the songs and rhymes performed by the kids. Just like Mami Monica, he too called on parents of the community that had sent their children to Bafoussam, Douala, Yaounde etc for studies due to the ongoing crisis that brought about a shutdown of schools to return home and enrol them at St. Mark's Anglican Nursery and Primary School considering that those who braved the odds this academic year to stay back and go to school sailed through successfully with little or no hitches and ended up graduating. 

Worst still, it's more costly and highly inconvenient educating one's children in the Francophone regions compared to home. It's for such reasons and many more including the need to develope one's own place that inhabitants of Njinmucho are envisaging a better school year in 2022 with improved enrolment, improved quality and quantity of teachers and improved results.

In the course of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis, one of the strategies that was implored by proponents of secession was school shutdown, a move that was highly condemned locally, nationally and internationally. Later, they shifted from their initial stance to permit non government schools to go operational and for community schools to be formed in areas not having any mission or private school but on conditions like no wearing of uniforms, no singing of Cameroon's national anthem, no participation in youth day, national day, FENASCO activities etc. 

Communities like Mile 20, Njinibi, Nyen, Mbemi and their neighbours had only government nursery and primary schools. The few mission and privately owned schools in Mbengwi subdivision are located within the central town. Not every parent had the means to cross over their children to the francophone regions for studies or relocate them to Mbengwi central. It was thus based on this setback that St. Mark's Anglican Church, located in Njinmucho, Mile 20, Mbengwi came up with the idea of opening a nursery and primary school to remedy the situation. 

The 2020/2021 academic year went on successfully with a teaching staff of four and an enrolment of over 30 shared in nursery 1 and 2, classes 1 to 4. Many other schools too within the subdivision have been organising similar graduation ceremonies though void of the fanfare that used to characterise such events before the advent of the crisis. There are indications there shall be a mass improvement in school enrolment in Mbengwi next academic year as many who had crossed over to the francophone regions are returning home already.

COMINSUD Trains Community Leaders in Mbengwi on GBV

COMINSUD Trains Community Leaders in Mbengwi on GBV

The humanitarian organisation, Community Initiative for Sustainable Development (COMINSUD) has trained some community leaders in Mbengwi on Gender Based Violence (GBV), particularly rape, physical violence, denial of resources, sexual harassment etc. Participants made up of traditional council chairpersons, community health workers, representatives from Village Development Associations and others attended the one day training that took place in the conference hall of the Mbengwi District Hospital, Thursday June 17 2021

Participants & COMINSUD Staff Pose for Family Picture at End of Workshop

Talking on the Management of Gender Based Violence, Mrs. Tunga Hilda Anne, General Supervisor of the Mbengwi District Hospital told the participants to always use the services of care and treatment centres around them plus hospitals each time they come across a GBV case especially rape and most importantly, within 72 hours, the medically recommended time frame to quickly put the victim on post prophylaxis, a process that involves screening, administration of emergency contraceptive, Psychological First Aid (P.F.A) and Anti Retroviral Drugs (A.R.V) all free of charge. She also called for the maintenance of confidentiality to avoid stigmatisation.

Mr. Mbabit Pius, Chairman of the Njindom Traditional Council thanked COMISUD for the workshop and proposed a number be made public for people like them to call and report GBV cases. Before the close of the meeting, a Referal Pathway for the N.W region was distributed to all attendees. It is a leaflet produced by COMINSUD containing contacts of institutions and persons that can be reached to report various cases of GBV or seek attention and knowledge. The contacts for Mbengwi as contained in the Referral Pathway are 677495530 or 675420403 or 680114133. Meanwhile to contact the Mbengwi District Hospital, the number given to reach was 676342832

Participants Taking Down Notes

As was explained, some GBV cases also need spiritual intervention since it's alleged there are cases of rape where the fertility of the survivor (victim) is taken away. Muyang Gina is a GBV case worker with COMINSUD particularly in Mbengwi and to and extent, Momo Division. As focal person for the organisation in the subdivision, she said almost everyone in society has either been a survivor or perpetrator of one form of GBV or another. She also affirmed that the organisation she works with supports survivors especially of rape morally, materially and financially as COMINSUD's interventions are more survivor based than perpetrator meaning the focus is to rescue the survivor while the legal and criminal sanctions of the perpetrator are expected to be handled by the competent authorities corncerned with punishment. 

She also added that each time a GBV case is being handled, the survivor at any point in time within the process has the full right to ask for a discontinuance of the case. Such requests usually come in on basis of safeguarding individual or family dignity, other arrangements with the perpetrator, avoidance of more violence etc.  However, as Gina explained, before this, he or she must have first been educated on the importance and advantages of following the process till the end and disadvantages of not continuing the process.

Muyang Gina, COMINSUD GBV Case Worker, Mbengwi Training Participants

COMINSUD Staff at Workshop

This summer holiday that shall see many youths that had travelled out of Mbengwi to other towns for studies returning home, COMINSUD plans to be holding educative sessions with young girls between 9 and 25 years old on sexuality, body care, family planning just to name these few at their office located opposite Palmers Bingual Nursery and Primary School before reaching the Mbengwi Council office.

Mbengwi Council Donates Ambulance to Community through Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre

Mbengwi Council Donates Ambulance to Community through Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre

The Mbengwi Council has donated a 4WD Toyota Ambulance to the  community through the Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre. The official handing over of the car keys took place, Tuesday June 8th 2021 at the Mbon Motor Park, Mile 18.

Addressing the beneficiary population, Mayor Ndangsa Kennedy revealed that the ambulance was bought by the council to remedy the health challenges of the inhabitants of the subdivision, most of whom often find it difficult accessing various health units especially on ghost town or lockdown days and during wee hours of the night.

The Ambulance 

Madam Njah Delphine is the Chief of Centre, Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre. Expressing her feelings to Mbengwi Online upon reception of the ambulance keys, she  thanked the mayor for "having very good thoughts about the people of Mbengwi in promoting the health system of the area"

Prior to the brief but symbolic event at the park, the council executive, some health officials and council workers had paraded with the ambulance at Acha, stopped at the Tad market that functioned that Tuesfay in Nyen before coming to end in Mile 18. At these various places where the caravan to show off the ambulance passed, it was presented as the people's property which they need to make adequate use of.

The Council Executive & Medical Team at the Mbon Motor Park

In explaining how the vehicle shall be used for the purpose it was bought and how it shall be sustained, mayor Ndangsa disclosed that there shall be a token to be paid by the patients, this purposely for maintenance and fuelling because according to him, "things that are free are often very destructive"

He went on to add that "The council is for the people and is thus going to subsidise the cost so that people should have a better living condition." As regards the management of the funds to be generated by the ambulance, he revealed that a committee will be created to ensure sustainability and maintenance.

Symbolic Handing Over of Car Keys

Elsewhere, the mayor's critics have been digging deep to know the total cost spent in acquiring the ambulance and source of the funds. Some have been debating on it being a second handed or fairly used vehicle. They even question why the choice of Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre instead of the Mbengwi District Hospital under which all other health centres in the subdivision fall.

In this regard, quizzed whether the council shall be benefiting from the revenue to be generated by the ambulance, Ndangsa Kennedy said "The council is an entity on its own and doesn't need to benefit because the health centre benefiting is already the council and these are structures under the council."

Njah Delphine, Chief of Centre, Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre

In continuation, he added that "It's our duty especially now under decentralisation that the hospitals have been sent under the management of the councils with other ministries. So that is the reason you see the council purchasing this ambulance and handing it to the health centre."

The municipal authority ended by reiterating his long call to  indigenes of the subdivision that left because of the crisis to return home because in his own words, "Mbengwi is a place to be, Mbengwi is calm, come back home and enjoy the services of the Mbengwi council."

Some months back, the council also bought a mini truck and named it Mobile Dustbin. It's since then till date being used almost on daily basis to clean the municipality. It moves through quarters and the main streets carrying away dirt from homes and the Mbon market/park area. The phenomenon of hips of dirt being piled in the market or at the park became a thing of the past ever since Ndangsa became mayor and initiated the idea of a mobile dust bin.  With the purchase of this ambulance now, it is also expected that patient's mobility challenges will now be a thing of the past.

First Deputy Mayor, Fonjong Doreen Anwi epse Agwe Pouring Champagne on the Ambulance 

Within its one year stay in office since April 2020, the current executive has been able to achieve part of its developmental plans for the municipality. However, the fate of some other projects realised by the previous mandate of erstwhile mayor Tebe Beatrice remain uncertain with regards to usage and sustainability. 

A modern slaughter was constructed in G.R.A yet till date is not being used. A feed mill was also constructed near the MECUDA head office in Mile 18 and the well equipped structure has been standing there doing nothing, not even now that the worst outbreak of African swine fever is putting pig farmers on bended knees as hundreds of pigs are either being buried or sold for prices as cheap as 2.500F just simply because they've been affected. Losses from the outbreak of the flu have been estimated to above 50 million within the entire subdivision.

Ndangsa Kennedy Akam, Mayor, Mbengwi Council

A bottle of champagne was popped and poured on the "newly bought" ambulance by the first deputy mayor, Fonjong Doreen Anwi epse Agwe while the second deputy mayor, Kadiri Amadu clapped in amusement. In the days ahead, a contact number to reach the ambulance in case of emergency shall be given to the public.

Though handed to the Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre, the ambulance shall be serving all patients in the entire Mbengwi health district area that require it's service. This therefore means that the ambulance shall be penetrating even remote areas like Fringyeng, Zang Tebi, Tugi, Munam, Ngwokwong etc.