On a radiant Thursday, the 16th of May 2024, the library of GBHS Ebolowa was filled with anticipation. The occasion? The 2024 CAMELTA South regional seminar, was presided over by Mrs ZANG AZEGUE SOMMER, the Regional CAMELTA president. The seminar was a beacon of innovation, aiming to empower teachers with the new philosophy of education: digitalisation.
A Warm Welcome
The seminar kicked off with a word of prayer by RPI ONGA Didier, followed by the singing of the national anthem. As host of the seminar, Mrs ONGUENE Dorothée, Vice-Principal of GBHS Ebolowa, gave a welcome speech on behalf of the Principal. In her speech, she reiterated the importance of the English language. She praised the initiative of CAMELTA to organise such a capacity-building seminar for the teachers of the south region.
A Journey of Learning and Discovery
The seminar was a treasure trove of knowledge, featuring a series of presentations by esteemed speakers who shared their insights and experiences on various topics related to English language education.
Mrs TANGANG was the first to take the floor to present the marking guide of “Directed Writing” in the GCE/O Level exam. She led a practical session where she shared a sample question paper and answers from a student, asking participants to follow the procedure presented and mark the provided paper.
RPI ASUA John enlightened participants on the marking of French Paper 2 (Translation) at the GCE/O Level. He encouraged French teachers to endeavour to teach translation in their classrooms and stop focusing only on teaching grammar, as they tend to do since paper 2 has the highest marks (60%).
Mr ZE Fabrice, Bilingual teacher and HOD of Anglais in GBHS Ebolowa talked about “Marking Composition” in Anglais paper (Section D). He defined and compared “composition” and “essay”, named different types of composition topics, described the qualities of good composition topics and presented marking guides specific to each type of topic.
Mrs AMANTCHANG, guidance counsellor in GBHS Ebolowa and Coordinator of the YES (Youth Exchange Study) programme, presented a brief history and the objectives of the highly selective YES programme of the USA, its target population and the requirements to benefit from it.
RPI TANGANG talked about “Psychosocial Support”. He defined mental health and presented “psychosocial support” as a programme of the Ministry of Secondary Education, belonging to the “Clean School” concept, promoted by guidance counsellors to help teachers handle difficult learners, an effort to prioritise the mental well-being of students.
Mr. CHO from MIYA ACADEMY talked about the efforts of his academy to promote digital education through online resources that all learners can access and all parents can use to support children in their education.
A Successful Conclusion
At the end of all presentations, the Regional Inspector Mme ENONGUENE Alice expressed her satisfaction with the organisation and unfolding of the seminar. She also encouraged teachers to take psychosocial support seriously in schools, to work hard to put a smile on our learners’ faces, to bring themselves down to the level of students and make friends with them to identify their problems and make a change in their lives.
RIC BIL BAHETEN Pascal took the floor to praise the role of CAMELTA in promoting teachers’ development during training years and in the field. He told participants how privileged they were to receive all the knowledge and resources shared, especially concerning psychosocial support whose implementation is ongoing in the South region.
Ultimately, Mrs ZANG AZEGUE, shared some gifts from their partners to presenters and participants, thanked all those who facilitated the organisation of the 2024 CAMELTA seminar in the South region and announced refreshments. The seminar ended at 5 pm.
As we look to the future, the lessons learned from this seminar will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the landscape of English language education in Cameroon, ensuring that our classrooms are not just clean, but also digitally transformed and ready for the challenges of the 21st century.
The Reporter:
CHOUNNA FEULEFACK Ynelle