Retired professor on Anthropology and member of the Constitutional Council, Prof. Paul Nchoji Nkwi, has announced his intention to offer free secondary education at Georgian City Academy, Wombong, to children from any corner of Boyo Division who are willing to go to school this academic year.
Prof. Nkwi, who doubles as the proprietor of the said school, told this reporter during a chat at his Yaounde residence that his initial intention was to establish what he termed an “internally displaced institution,” that would enable him move the school from Njinikom to Yaounde or any other safer town. The idea did not prosper as it took him close to two years to obtain authorization from the ministry to open an annex Georgian City Academy in Foumbot.
He said about a week ago it occurred to him that there are still a good number of youths who stayed back in the villages who are eager to go back to school, but do not have the means.
“I decided that despite the difficulties, I am going to reopen Georgian City Academy Wombong, where the students will not pay fees. In spite of my meager salary, I will pay the teachers even if it means I should starve here in Yaounde,” Prof. Nkwi vowed.
He hinted that eight teachers, a principal and a bursar have already been recruited to do the work,and that on Monday they started registering children and cleaning the school compound in order that effective teaching should start on Monday, September 13, 2021.
“Education is the best gift a parent or anybody can give to a child and this is why I am convinced that Georgian City Academy should reopen its doors so that we offer free secondary education to students in Boyo, no matter the village they come from.
“My fundamental believe is that give a pen to a child and not a gun; a pen is the future, a gun is destruction,” he pointed out.
The Prof. indicated that emphasis will be laid on technical education in order that the students should acquire gainful skills on which they can build their futures.
He emphasized that “If we continue to build fear in our hearts, then we will never be able to help the young ones. If I open the school and there is anyone who does not like the idea, it will be an act against Christian charity. Look at the parents, their economic potentials have dropped significantly and most of them cannot afford to send their children out or to boarding schools”.
Prof. Nkwi recounted a similar politically motivated school boycott which was initiated in 1958 due to a power tussle between the Kamerun National Democratic Party (KNDP) and the Kamerun National Congress (KNC).
“My father who had never been to school was scandalized that the teachers, whom he thought knew best what education is, will actively tell kids not to go to school. He stood his ground and told us that all of you must go to school until these teachers come and tell me why school is not good for you. My elder brother later became a penitentiary administrator, another one became a teacher and my sister became a civil administrator. If we had not gone to school at that time, I would have missed going to Sasse and probably my future would never have been the same,” he explained.
The learned Professor, who had had sleepless nights ever since the school boycott was declared in the North West and South West regions, appealed to those who call the shots in these regions to leave politics for politicians and schools for teachers.
It should be noted that this is not the first time that Prof. Nkwi is extending a hand of charity to the underprivileged students of Boyo Division. Last year, he gave subventions to Catholic and other mission schools operating in Bum, Fundong, Njinikom and Belo subdivisions.
Culled from The Info
