GBHS Fontem Ex- students association launched in USA

Some former students of Gov’t Bilingual High School Fontem based in the USA, gathered last Saturday in a convention, at the Oxford Event Center in Lanham –Maryland and launched the first ever Ex-Students of the college in the USA.

The convention which began on Friday September 25th, with an all night barbeque brought together many old faces who shared past memories about the institution that began in September 1981, using as form one classroom, the office of the then sub divisional officer at Menji, with a staff room under the shade of trees.

The convention was organized under the theme “Converging for Commitment and Commencement” and was coordinated by Bernard Bezeju, (Prof.) one of the pioneer graduates of the alma mater.

The main vision of the association is to assist in the rehabilitation and building of the school infrastructure, provision of didactic material and improving on the basic hygiene and sanitation facilities of the institution.

As a prelude to a better groundwork to jump start ideas into action, an executive board comprising fifteen people headed by Edmund Folefac, (Dr.), as pioneer President was created during the plenary session of Saturday September 26th.

Also present at the plenary session was Mary Ategwa, one of the pioneer lecturers and widow of pioneer principal of the institution, John Ategwa. In a vivid flash-back, she recalled the challenges faced when the college was about to kick-off and the challenge against traditional beliefs which maintained that a girl child was not good for education, but a commodity for marriage and child bearing.

The fund raising gala that ensued saw on the spot donations of about $8000 from the massive crowd that attended the occasion. It should be noted that GBHS Fontem is 34 years old today with present enrollment of about 1,012 students, with girls recording over 60% total population.