It's Holiday Time At 'Les Coccinelles'

Activities marking the State House school's end-of-year feast held on Friday June 27, 2014.

The 2013-2014 academic year is over for pupils of 'Les Coccinelles' Nursery and Primary School Complex at the Unity Palace. Friday June 27, 2014 was graduation day and the over 100 pupils were glad to take home gifts and bid farewell to their teachers.

The cheerful ceremony was chaired by the Minister, Deputy Director of the Civil Cabinet, Joseph LE, representing First Lady, Chantal Biya, who is founder and matron of the institution. At 14, 'Les Coccinelles' was proud to send forth another batch of pupils to higher classes with admirable results.

"Credit goes to the ever-supportive founder of this school, Mrs. Chantal Biya," the Head Teacher of 'Les Coccinelles,' Guillaume Mpouenanga said, congratulating the staff for their commitment. 'Les Coccinelles', since its launch on September 29, 2000, has graduated over 3,000 pupils. 2013-2014 Common Entrance examination results were outstanding with a 100 per cent score while those for the Common Entrance Technical section scored 83. 33 per cent with a good performance for those going to higher classes.

Tradition was again respected as dignitaries and parents watched pupils display bilingualism through sketches, songs and recitations. The colourful ceremony brought out the ingenuity, fluency and enthusiasm of the kids as they sang, recited rhymes and performed sketches both in English and French. They passed across the virtues of environmental protection, and the need to love and honour parents and make meaningful use of vacation by assisting them.

"It is end of the school year," "There is need for village joy," "It is time to dance with reverence to the love of God," and "You are my God," were some of the pieces that gave guests joy. But elation came when speakers blared out "Hein Père" by Cameroon's hip-hop star, Stanley Enow. Enow accompanied the pupils on stage to put up a good show, with the children shouting to the top of their voices how they were "high père." Traditional dance performances served as beautiful spice for the ceremony.

It was also all fun and excitement with Thierry Olemba's "Human beats box" whereby a mix of the microphone and mouth sounds enthralled guests. The show gave way to the reading of results, accompanied by the handing over of gifts to the pupils.

First Lady, Chantal Biya's Special Representative, Joseph LE, began by handing over gifts to the best five. The Secretary of State in the Ministry of Basic Education, Benoît Ndong Soumhet, followed suit; then the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Bidoung Mpkatt, before other dignitaries. As Joseph LE took his special guests amongst whom the Resident Representative of the African Institute for Computer Sciences (IAI-Cameroon), Armand Claude Abanda, round to visit the classrooms and appreciate the yearly performance of the pupils, parents and kids enjoyed refreshments.