After visit to centres: Secondary education minister salutes conduct of GCE exams.

The written phase of the examinations began yesterday in all accommodation centres countrywide. The session is unfolding hitch- free, according to officials.

Speaking in Yaounde yesterday shortly after a field trip to some writing centres in the capital city, the Minister of Secondary Education, Prof Nalova Lyonga, saluted the conduct of the exercise.

She said despite a number of hiccups, the public exam was already recording huge success on day one. 

At the Government Bilingual Practicing High School, LBA Yaounde, where Minister Nalova Lyonga made her first stop, over 800 candidates were taking the exams.

The Chief of Centre at LBA, Enongene Andrew, told reporters that the exercise was unfolding without major difficulties. He disclosed to the Minister that some 234 candidates were sitting Economic Paper II of GCE Ordinary Level while 520 candidates were taking same exercise at the Advanced Level.

He however regretted that some four absences were recorded on day of the written phase. Some four candidates with special needs were said to be taking the exercise at the Government Bilingual Practicing School, LBA Yaounde.

At the Government Bilingual High School, GBHS Ekounou, the Minister was welcomed to a quiet environment with students taking the GCE exams. It was a similar atmosphere at the Government Bilingual High School, GBHS Nkol Eton, still in the nation’s capital.

In all the writing centres visited, the Minister held a brief frank exchange with heads of the institutions before handing down firm instructions. She was particularly dismayed to have observed that some of the classes at GBHS Ekounou were without electricity. 

Disappointed, the Minister immediately instructed the Principal to install bulbs in all the classes accommodating candidates. It was same instructions dished out at LBA Yaounde where a similar scenario was observed.

Speaking to newsmen at the close of the exercise, a visibly satisfied Minister Nalova Lyonga said: “I am happy with what I saw”. 

The Minister however noted that: “I am not completely happy because I wanted the students with special needs to be specially treated but one of the schools we visited, the officials said they didn't expect to have students with special needs. However, they have taken care of them”.

“I think that students who are pregnant shouldn't be taking the exams. We saw a student who was nine months pregnant. They shouldn't be allowed to take the exams. We don't accept that,” the Minister instructed.

“But otherwise, it's been really nice. It's been okay. Overall, it's been good. The major thing is that the exam is going on well. So, we are quite happy,” she concluded.

Some 282, 200 candidates, it should be said, are currently sitting this year’s GCE exams in writing centres across the country. The exercise will run for two weeks.