The Sustainable Environmental Network for African Development SENAD and Toiling for Kids Foundation have in a Press Conference that took place at TK Foundation premises at Clerks Quarters in Limbe, Cameroon divulged their Study Abroad Programme. This heavily attended event which took place on Saturday October 8, 2016 was used by these partner organisations to once more assert their determination to enhance sustainability through the provision of opportunities for quality education to those in need.
Speaking during this press conference, the CEO of TK Foundation Mme Neba Tecla outlined the activities of TK Foundation stating that they involved the upbringing of children, building the capacity of children and identifying the girl child as a point of focus which has been the main goal. She further explained that the mindset of the staff at TK Foundation has always been that of striving for higher heights.
SENAD, a major partner of TK Foundation was revealed to the audience. The partnership with SENAD identifies schools whose programmes sell in Africa. They also have as objective, Identifying students who can study abroad, come back to Africa and Cameroon in particular and impart knowledge gained. The Head Office of SENAD she intimated was in Cameroon.
She identified three objectives of SENAD. These are the promotion of education laying emphases on the Girl Child, poverty alleviation and environmental education. Talking on the Study Abroad Programme of the SENAD-TK Foundation partnership she said agreements have been signed with different foreign universities adding that it is the quality of those Universities which pushed them to apply for partnerships.
One of the partner universities is the Cape Breton University in Canada. Quoting from the University website she said “The world your parents knew won’t be the one you inherit. The challenges you face will be different. The future you build will astonish. And Cape Breton University is where it begins. It’s all going to happen, because you are going to Happen.”
This she said is not just a university but also a market place for the development of specialised and standardised programmes, accompanying the development of special skills, intellectual and soft skills to meet global and specific professional needs. It offers personalised learning and facilitates growth. The university does formation with hands on training, made easy with learning facilities like the Vecheron Centre, and other rich amenities.
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa is another remarkable university partner. Its main administration is in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth. It is a comprehensive university offering professional and vocational training. It has five campuses – four in Port Elizabeth and one in George Town. A number of courses include workplace experience as part of the programme.
It is a mass of study programmes with a portion of it in George Town. According to its achievements, it is a reference point for studies in Africa and a hub for any equipment, machinery and resources for professional training.
A third university partner, the Wekele Business School is the last institution with which an agreement was established. WBS according to Mme Neba Tecla is committed to offering high standard education and generates Bachelor and Certificate programmes which meet modern development needs.WBS Is in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, a country in Central Europe. It is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Border-less Europe Agreement.
After presenting these partner universities she emphasized on the need to study and return home with usable skills that can be imparted to contribute to the achievement of Cameroons emergence in 2035.
Meantime, students’ requirements for admission were clearly explained and the GCE Advanced level was presented as the minimum entry level. Admission forms for Graduate and post graduate programmes were displayed for view. Students in attendance were informed that this programme had already started, and that students had already been granted admission and they were currently studying in these institutions.
Commenting on the competition that may result in working with other actors in this field, she simply said, “Our interest is in placement in renowned universities. It is not a profit making venture, it is one of those activities which brings about the realization of our vision of modern vocational education and generates income for sustenance.
Among other things she said the authenticity of this programme is justified by the signed agreements from all three mentioned institutions and the books, brochures, banners and registration forms which were sown to the media. She highlighted the advantages of studying in these countries and institutions stating that their holiday periods are long and part time jobs are available.
The press conference was attended by a cross section of media men from the press, television and radio. Also in attendance were educational stakeholders from across the country including prospective students.
Cameroon School News 