Interviewed by Martin Jumbam & Immaculate Akwanga
Father Martin Kima is the Catholic Education Secretary of Mamfe Diocese. He talks about the trials, tribulations and triumphs of Catholic education in his diocese.
How is Catholic education faring in the diocese?
Catholic education is faring well even though economic hardship in the country seems to have hit us particularly hard. We are in the rural area and parents are finding it very difficult to sponsor their children in our schools, even though our fees must be the lowest anywhere in the country; we only charge 5.000 francs CFA for tuition a year.
But the people, on account of the bad roads, find it extremely difficult to get their crops, like the oranges and cocoa to the market. That is actually a big problem, which affects enrolment in our schools. We continue, however, to appeal to those who can afford it to send their children to us.
Have you opened any new colleges in your diocese recently?
Yes, we opened a new home economics centre in Akwaya, the St Agnes Home Economics Centre, a few years ago. It was opened and is being run by the Franciscan sisters, who are doing a fantastic job.
Their students sat the CAP examination last year for the first time and scored 100%. They also wrote religious knowledge last year and also scored 100%. The start is a wonderful one for them.
What educational changes have been brought to Mamfe since it became a diocese?
There are no real changes because this is just the continuation of the Buea Diocese. But the quality of education is improving because we are getting more graduates from schools and universities in Cameroon and from neighbouring Nigeria, who come to teach.
There were days when in our secondary schools, it was a difficult thing to have a graduate, but now more than 95% of teachers in the secondary schools are graduates, which has greatly improved the quality of education.
How are your schools faring as far as information technology goes?
I think we have three colleges that have computers, although the computers are second-hand. QRC Okoyong should be hooked up to the internet soon; so should our college at Nchang. On the whole, still a timid start but we're getting there, gradually though.
What is the essence of the internet in the Catholic schools?
Through the internet, you link up with the rest of the world, and the children can have communication links with other children around the world.
How do you plan to keep them away from those sites that peddle pornography?
We will let them know the advantages and disadvantages of the internet, and for them to understand that it is mainly for academic purposes. Besides, they will have very little time to spend opening immoral sites because they will be with their teachers all the time.
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