CI-NEWS

Enthusiastic welcome of Donga-Mantung Scholarship Fund.

2019-08-20

No: 442

Enthusiastic welcome of Donga-Mantung Scholarship Fund.

The people of Donga-Mantung have shown unusual enthusiasm for the FCFA 15 million scholarship Fund code-named Donga Mantung Scholarship Fund which was officially launched by Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung, Simon Doh. Thousands turned at the event during which the benevolence of the scholarship’s sponsor Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Mines, Industries and Technological Development, was hailed. The scholarship seeks to support students, pupils and teachers ahead of September back to school.

Addressing education stakeholders, pupils, students and parents at the official launching ceremony, the SDO for Donga Mantung said the gesture would boost the reopening of schools in the division coupled with the fact that many parents who are crippled by the crisis are unable to meet up with the school needs of their children. “We want to say that this is coming at an opportune moment and we want to encourage other elites who have similar ambitions for this fast and important division to also come on board. This scholarship scheme is definitely going to boost the morale of those who are willing to study but the crisis has pulled them down”. He continued that Minister Fuh Calistus Gentry has been offering scholarships to desirous pupils and students of Donga-Mantung but this year the amount has been raised to FCFA 15 million. “We have seen practically the distribution of the largesse to those who merit and I want to use this occasion to also tell the willing pupils and students of this division that the administration will not spare any efforts in helping them where the need arises for effective resumption of schools. The last academic year has shown us that we are up to the task”. He concluded by reminding the population of Donga-Mantung that “ there is nothing you can give a child that surpasses education”. Before commissioning into function the members of the coordination charged with overseeing the disbursement of the funds to beneficiaries, the SDO warned that any “mago-mago” won’t be tolerated.

For her part, Madame Ajara, 4th Deputy of Nkambe, said that a gesture of such magnitude can only emanate from an intellectual of his calibre. She added that wherever the development of the mind passes, all other forms of development follows. She concluded that the “seed that was sown in Misaje some years back has gradually covered the whole division and we pray that it has come not to go but to stay until our illiteracy rate hits the highest level in the North West Region and why not Cameroon”. She concluded even before the crisis it has been the general wish of everyone to see such a gesture.

Tarlishi Oliver Yinyu, the Divisional Delegate for Secondary Education and Coordinator of the scholarship fund, in a presentation disclosed that the programme would be in three phases. He said the second phase would be disbursed when schools have resumed while phase III would be to encourage and reward outstanding teachers, students and pupils. In his statement, he was categorical that education is the key to the world. He said a child without education is like a bird without feathers given that education doesn’t only prepare the youths for a better future but it is life in itself. He expressed gratitude to the funder, Minister Fuh Calistus, for his philanthropic gesture and added that those who give never lack.

The Fon of Misaje, on the other hand, thanked Dr. Fuh Calistus for his generosity of spirit which is a great step towards nation building. To him supporting the education of kids is the key to development. That is why “we need to have people behind him who can be equivalent to him. That is why we salute his gesture. I think this is an encouragement to other elites to see what they can also do in our community because a community like Donga-Mantung cannot have just one elite who can afford this type of gesture. Many are more viable but they have no concern for the education of our people. So, we don’t want to have an eye among the blind but many people who will be our overseers who will continue to think of the development of our division”, he concluded.

Pa Cletus Nyeba was categorical that Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry had demonstrated beyond reasonable doubts that he has the population at heart. “In my capacity as a parent and PTA chairman, I am very thankful to the minister for this great initiative. In my school where I am PTA chairman, we had only few teachers. And now that the scholarship will recruit teachers, I am leaving this hall very satisfied.”

The first beneficiaries expressed thanks and gratitude to the donor. “I was already thinking how the year would look like given that the parents are not viable due to the crisis. I already saw frustration ahead of me but thank God this donation by H.E Dr. Fuh Calistus has come to take me out from the stress”. Another beneficiary from Ako said she would like peace to return to the North West and South West so that there is an enabling environment for them to study. “We are praying that the powers that be should hear us and give us peace because we want to go to school”, he lamented.

It should be recalled that over 900 students and pupils attended the launching ceremony that took place at the Nkambe community hall. Those who took the challenge to attend the historic event went back more convinced than when they were going that the FCFA 15 million is purely a kind gesture with no political strings as beneficiaries were selected without any form of discrimination. Those who couldn’t have the opportunity to express themselves in speeches or interviews did so in songs. The euphoria was total as the people danced to the tunes of the drumbeats to give a standing ovation the minister.

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Enthusiastic welcome of Donga-Mantung Scholarship Fund.