CBCHS donates equipment to University of Bamenda
The CBC Health Services (CBCHS) has donated equipment worth over 8 million cfa to the University of Bamenda for the setting up of an inclusive resource center to facilitate teaching and learning for lecturers and all students including students with disabilities in the University. The donation of the equipment is within the framework of a partnership formalized in 2015 between the CBC Health Services and the University of Bamenda with the objective to foster collaboration, facilitate advancement in knowledge and provide opportunities for experience in Inclusive education as a means of enhancing the education for all agenda. The equipment was donated thanks to funding from CBM Australia main funding partner of the Socio Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disability (SEEPD) Program of the CBCHS
During the handing over ceremony on June 19th 2017 at the University campus, the Director of CBCHS Prof Tih Pius Muffih expressed satisfaction with the University of Bamenda for embracing the concept of inclusion and taking steps to make inclusive education a reality .Prof Tih promised that the CBCHS will continue to respect the terms of the partnership as stated on the Memorandum of Understanding..
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Bamenda .Prof Theresia Nkuo-Akenji said she was elated with the CBCHS for incorporating inclusive education into the University of Bamenda. She noted that the assistance of the CBCHS makes the partnership between both parties grow. Prof highlighted that the equipment will make the university a place of learning for all.
While expatiating on the list of equipment and their use, the Education Advisor of the SEEPD Program Mrs. Forbuzie Bridget said they equipment comprised of projectors, desktop computers, three photocopier, scanner, printer, board maker software, reading rulers and overlays, talking watch ,footballs with jingles amongst others . She reiterated that the equipment are not intended to assist only leaners with disability but also for the training of students of Higher Teachers Training Collage (HTTC) to be able to teach inclusively at the end of their course work. Also that in the days ahead a module will be design on inclusive education for the University.
To demonstrate how the some of the equipment is used, a written note was brailed for students with impairments to read. They thrilled all present as they read the brailed paper at a slow pace which others could not see anything written on it . The Education Advisor was emphatic that their slow reading pace is because they will have to feel the dots with their finders on the brail paper before reading. Thus to her the University needs to know their challenges and accommodate them in the leaning process
While handing the equipment to the Vice Chancellor who received it on behalf of the University, the Director of CBCHS Pro Tih called on the VC to make possibility for additional time during class work and most especially during exams for learners with disability giving that they need more time to break through during learning. He charged the University to use the equipment judiciously
The VC received the equipment with broad smile on her face while shower blessings on the CBCHS and promising to make the University adapted for all learners with the coming of the equipment. Both parties signed and exchanged the list of equipment.
The handing over ceremony was attended by the Personnel Manager of the CBCHS Mr Ndusak George, SEEPD Program Manager Mr Awa Jacques Chirac, Public Relations Officer of CBCHS Mr Wango Barnabas, the NW Delegate of Basic Education, the Director of HTTC P who attested that the University of Bamenda has benefited from the CBCHS with the brailing of scripts for candidates sitting in for entrance exam in the school.
It is worth noting that by this partnership, the CBCHS through her Socio Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SEEPD) Program is regarded as technical partner to the University of Bamenda on matters of disability, inclusion and development.
The donation comes 3 years after the CBCHS donated some equipment to the Cameroon GCE Board in 2014 to facilitate the brailing of GCE scripts for candidates with visual impairments.
