Minister Nalova Lyonga inaugurates distance learning pilot centre in Limbe.

The centre located in a complex hosting Government Technical High School, GTHS Bimbia and Government High School, GHS Mbonjo, was inaugurated on Friday, October 11.

The inauguration coincided with a special session during which students experienced the fun of distance learning. The inaugurated distance learning centre is an IT centre that has been refurbished and equipped by IHS Cameroon S.A.

The structure has 30 desktop computers, enough to accommodate 60 students per session, chairs, an internet connection, a solar power system for backup in case of electricity failure, and a projector.

Addressing students during the launching ceremony, Professor Nalova Lyonga said the goal is to ensure the best teachers could teach irrespective of their location nationwide.

She encouraged students to be hardworking and make the most of the opportunities made available to them by the government. 

“…the students should go to school and exhibit self-confidence, pass their exams and tell themselves every day that they will pass their exams by being disciplined and respectful of the hierarchy. They should be focused and plan to work hard to be successful,” the minister declared.

The minister said the goal of distance learning is to raise secondary school to modern standards in terms of connectivity and computer literacy. 

In line with the project, IT centres in some schools, she disclosed, will be renovated while the distance learning vision of government is progressively being extended across the nation. 

“This is to ensure that all schools in Cameroon are equipped with state-of-the-art ICT Centres to achieve the goal of providing distance learning,” the minister declared.

After sitting through some of the lessons delivered by teachers from the main centre in Yaounde, the minister saluted the response from the students. 

“…from the displays we had, we can see that instantly information is shared from Yaounde and the students can follow it on record time. Students from across the country send questions on record time and the teacher is able to evaluate them, so it is a magic board,” Nalova Lyonga declared.

She insisted that the goal is to ensure that with time, schools nationwide have boards and equipment to ensure students gain the same knowledge in the hinterlands and urban areas.

The minister explained that distance learning provides an opportunity for students to be able to connect with phones or other gadgets from any part of the country and follow the same lessons from the best teachers.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3259 of Monday October 14, 2024