Former students of the school came together on Saturday in view of modernising the institution.

Former students of one of the oldest educational establishment of the nation, Government Bilingual High School of New Bell, created in 1940, went back to their alma mater last Saturday, March 31, 2012 in view of supporting its development and academic excellence.

The objective of the gathering was to talk pulse of some pressing needs of the institution in view of coming up with ways surmounting them. They said they were determined to offer material and financial support to the school – their alma mater.

The former students, who turned out massively, visited classrooms, offices as well as toured the campus. They took stock of problems like the rising insecurity and aging infrastructure. Dorothée Nkom, Chief Administrator of the School, told her former classmates how thieves continue to jump over the fence, break into offices and make away with valuables, including benches and text books. However, Saturday was occasion during which the alma mates took the appointment to brainstorm in view of coming up with solutions to the problems, perhaps set up a scholarship scheme for incumbent and future students in view of promoting academic excellence and competition towards hard work in school.

President of the Organising Committee, Julienne Ngana who studied in the institution between 1966 and 1973 expressed the feeling that it is formidable meeting former classmates several years after, revisit their past experiences in school and, above all, discuss further progress and development that should modernise their alma mater.

Dorothée Nkom said she, as well as her mates, are what they are today thanks to the institution. “I feel that bringing together so many former students gives us the single opportunity to create contacts among ourselves and the new generation who are still in the classrooms. It is also about what we will offer to the school. In our days government gave us text books freely, but now it is not the same and we have to help the young generation, offer them our possible best so that they can fulfil their dreams as it has been our case,” she told Cameroon Tribune.

With a student population of 3,300 and 105 teaching staff, what is now Government Bilingual High School was initially Ecole Superieure de Filles created at pre-independence in 1940, before it was transformed to Government High School of New Bell.