The support by the Douala II Council will help in the organisation end-of-year exams.

Some 350 benches were offered to Government Bilingual High School New-Bell, 100 to Government Primary School Camp Bertaut and 100 to Government Primary School New-Bell Bassa all of the municipality. The offer was in respond to needs expressed by heads of the academic institutions to furnish classrooms which could not be used without the benches, as well as growing student population.

Meanwhile, didactic materials including packets of pens, ledgers, exercise books, chalks were donated to all public and mission schools of the municipality to complement the Minimum Packages offered at the beginning of the school year. Speaking at the handing over ceremony at the Multipurpose Youth Centre in New Bell, April 22, Mayor Denise Fampou said the council has decided to offer the Minimum Packages twice the academic year in order to help the schools meet up with vital material shortages which usually marked the third but last term. Sometimes it affected the organisation of end-of-year class and official exams.

“The council has made it an oath to spare no effort but to ensure quality education to its children, by devoting our intelligence, our soul, heart and means,” she disclosed.

One of the recipients, Ngwa Sylvester, Assistant Head Teacher of Government English Primary School New Town Airport, said the gifts were coming at a time the school highly needs them: “We have been using our money to buy these materials. The need for them at this time is usually crucial.”

The Mayor used the opportunity to launch the Most Performant and Clean School Competition. While encouraging massive participation, she pointed out that the competition is opened to public, private and mission schools of the council area. It involves best performance in end-of-year exams and the cleanliness of classrooms, its surrounding (campus, toilets and water points) and neatness of pupils.