The five classrooms belonging to a Catholic congregation, cost FCFA 45 million.
The Japanese Ambassador to Cameroon, Keiji Yamamoto has reiterated his government’s support to Cameroon’s efforts in achieving the Millennium Development Goal on ensuring universal basic education by 2015 through the funding of construction of more classrooms in the country. Speaking on Wednesday in Mbandjock in the Upper Sanaga Division of Centre Region at the commissioning of a five-classroom block funded by his embassy, the Ambassador said the growing level of poverty in the country necessitated the construction of such good classrooms to enable pupils face up to the challenges of the time. He expressed hope that the project will in no small measure contribute in reducing the school drop out rate in the area.
On the embassy’s relationship with the Soeurs de St Paul de Chartres, the owners of the Groupe Scolaire Bilingue St Paul de Mbandjock, Keiji Yamamoto said they had proven to be trustworthy partners, promising the embassy’s continuous financial support for their projects – though the means were limited, he cautioned. “I feel honoured by the completion of this project in so short a time,” said Parent Teacher Association, PTA, President, Mvogo Jean Claude. He promised that the PTA would work closely with the school’s management to ensure that the 282 pupils receive the best possible education and the new structure well maintained.
“I’m overjoyed at the completion of our project,” said the head of the Soeurs de Saint Paul de Chartres, Cameroon District, Rev. Sister Antoinette Onguené. She disclosed that this was not the first time her congregation would receive Japanese Embassy funding for her school projects, adding similar projects had in the past been carried out in Obala in the Centre Region and Batouri in the East Region. She expressed hope that the embassy would continue to stand by them in future.
Construction of the FCFA 45 million five-classroom block for the primary section of the school (that also runs a pre-nursery and nursery sections) began in September 2009 and classes have been going on in the fully equipped classrooms since last September. For now, the school that began seven years ago as a literacy centre for street children, runs classes up to Primary Four. Its owners plan to add secondary and high school sections in future.
