2015 Cameroon GCE Examinations to begin on May 5

Registrar dismisses claim payment of 2014 examiners' dues   now is to pre-empt strike action

 By Christopher Ambe

 Sir Humphrey Ekema  Monono, registrar of the Cameroon General Certificate of Education (GCE) Board has said the 2015 session of the  GCE exams  will begin on May 5 with  practicals,noting that all is set.

Sir  Ekema Monono

      But  the registrar has dismissed  claims from detractors that the on-going payment of the balance of out-of-station allowance for 2014 examiners is intended to pre-empt any strike action that examiners may be planning  to  mar the smooth running of this year’s exams.

       Sir Ekema Monono was responding, last Tuesday April 14, to questions from The Recorder concerning this year’s GCE Exams, in his office in Buea.

      Asked if the on-going payment of 2014 examiners’ dues was to pre-empt any possible strike action by teachers, Sir Ekema Monono, replied:

    “The 2014 examiners’ out -of -station allowance that we owed was their deserved right. And we thank Government for having made the money available at the right time. Teachers needed it as well as other examiners.

    “But this was not to pre-empt any strike action, because I don’t think my teachers were building up any strike action against the GCE Board. They trust and believe in their Registrar and for now what binds us is the truth; money was owed them and the money has been given; if they were preparing for that, then it is time for them to let go  such as an idea; it is not necessary because the Board is there to carter for their interests”

       The Registrar said the number of candidates for the exams is always on the increase. “This year we have more than 180,000 candidates up from 164,789 testees who sat for the exams last year.”, he said

     The Registrar regretted that some dishonest people are reportedly trading fake question papers, claiming that there are this year’s leaked examination questions.

 “Candidates and parents should be warned not to be tortured or deceived by detractors who purport to have the GCE question papers; so those circulating such papers should be discouraged by both parents and students,” he appealed, emphasizing, “ Question papers of the GCE will only reach candidates in examination rooms, not through some other source.”

     Sir Ekema  Monono  disclosed that one major challenge facing the GCE Board now is the non-production of last year’s examination certificates. “Certificates for 2014 haven’t been printed because we have a hitch: managerial problem of contract award procedure. But I am certain that the problem will soon be overcome and our candidates will be served appropriately”

.