Chantal Biya and Chantal Compaoré yesterday spent close to two hours with pupils of Bastos Primary School to make them active citizens of tomorrow. First Ladies, Chantal Biya of Cameroon and Chantal Compaoré of Burkina Faso have added more impetus to the sensitisation campaign on citizenship education launched yesterday in Yaounde at the Government Primary School in Bastos by the Minister of Basic Education, Youssouf née Adidja Alim. Both First Ladies did not only provide didactic materials and campaign gadgets for the citizenship campaign but also spent more than half an hour in various classrooms with pupils, listening to
teachers give lectures on the need to revisit the educational distance covered over 50 years in the country so as to pave the way forward. The campaign, which is taking place throughout the ten regions of the country, under the patronage of Mrs Chantal Biya, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Education and Social Inclusions is an opportunity for the Cameroonians of tomorrow to know where the country all started, while understanding the present so as to contribute to the lofty task of meeting the challenges of the 21st Century. In a pedagogic brochure for educationists relating to the campaign, Mrs Biya in a message told the pupils that the hope of the nation to grow, progress and forge ahead in harmony and respect for human dignity lays in them. Reason why it is necessary for pupils to know where they are coming from so as to decide where they want to go. The campaign which will unfold through a 15-poster exhibition dubbed ??the Distance Covered?? will provide information to pupils on issues before independence, the national anthem, the flag and code of arms, from independence to unity, the new deal, institutions of the Republic, free speech, the population, our diversity: a factor of unity, education, health, agriculture and culinary art, the Indomitable Lions and creative genius. Through such information, Youssouf née Adidja Alim said if used judiciously will help not only pupils but also other people to be active citizens, conscious and proud to belong to the great and beautiful nation, Cameroon and thus make them want to preserve the peace and unity within it. The fact that UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Education and Social Inclusions is enormously contributing in educating Cameroonians of tomorrow through the over ten ??Ecoles Les Champions?? FCB she has constructed and handed to the State and the fact that she and the First Lady of Burkina Faso have just opened another page in reinforcing the educational sphere in Cameroon through their presence in the citizenship campaign, dignitaries that took to the rostrum at the event could only applaud the motherly touch they give to the education of African children. Through a family photograph with pupils and teachers and hand shakes with dignitaries such as members of CERAC and the representative of the UNESCO Director General, Bernard Hadjadj, who has been a UNESCO resident representative in Cameroon, the population knew the event was over. But this was far from it. Both First Ladies took the protocol and security unawares when they decided to mingle among pupils and bystanders who witnessed the ceremony under a heavy downpour. Chantal Biya and Chantal Compaoré were a sort of sunrays to the population at this moment.
