At close of ICT Holiday Camp: P & T minister urges 1,400 beneficiaries to be exemplary internet users.

The minister made the call on Saturday August 26. This was during the closing ceremony of the 2023 edition of the ICT Holiday Camp in Efok, Lekie Division of the Centre Region.

Minister Libom Li Liken told the close to 1,400 youth who took part in the week-long training, to make proper use of the ICT skills and knowledge acquired during the camp. 

Champion fight against cyber criminality, hate speech

Minister Li Likeng told the youth to champion the fight against cyber criminality and hate speech. 

“The internet is a good avenue where so many positive activities can be carried out. Take advantage of those platforms and be the agents of change,” she said, adding that: “The internet, especially the social media, has been used as tools to promote cyber criminality, fake news, false information and hate speech”. 

These ills, she stated, “have destroyed lives and families. There are counter-productive. I urge you all to shun those practices and serve as good examples”.

The minister further urged the youth to function as real change makers and disciples of the Head of State, President Paul Biya, and make the internet a decisive tool in boosting development.

Successful 2023 Camp

The 2023 ICT Holiday Camp was in its 7^th edition. The trainees received training on ICT tools and systems. The camp spanned August 22 to August 26.

It was part of the traditional digital technology promotion holiday camps organised by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. 

This has been with the technical support of the African Institute of Computer Sciences, IAI Cameroun. 

The camps, officials said, are held to bridge the digital gap among youth in rural communities and to get them make use of the internet like those in the urban centres.

Participants were selected from Obala Subdivision. They were segmented and camped in two major groups, depending on their ages to ensure the smooth coordination.

The first camp named the IAI Site was hosted at the Saint Joseph Minor Seminary in Ekok. It had over 680 youth between the age bracket of eight and 14 years. They were drilled on web building and communication. 

The second group referred to as the SUPP’TIC Site was hosted at the College Jean XXIII in Efok. It had over 450 youth aged between 15 and 22 years. They were trained on educative web content and cyber security.

At the end of the sessions, the youth were handed ICT tools including desk top computers and printing machines. This came from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. The ministry also offered month-long ICT training scholarships to the first 100 youth who excelled during the camp.

Beneficiary expresses gratitude

In separate speeches Saturday, some beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and the Head of State, Paul Biya, for the initiative.

Anutika Precious, a native of Mezam Division of the North West Region, residing in Obala, said she has acquired the knowledge on how best to use ICT tools and how to surf the internet for positive things.

Camp testimony of Head of State’s youth empowerment efforts

The 2023 ICT Holiday Camp came after six other similar camps organised by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in recent years. 

Since the start of the scheme in Ebolowa in 2017, five other camps have been held in localities such as Ngaoundere, Bertoua and Lolodorf in the Adamawa, East and South regions respectively. A total of over 7,000 youth have been trained through the scheme.