As schools across Cameroon prepare to reopen, questions about the quality of teaching, adaptability to modern demands, and the preparedness of educators continue to dominate discussions. For many parents and students, the challenge has been the same for years: classrooms may exist, syllabuses may be available, but teaching techniques often lag behind the realities of a changing society.
View of symposium hall during session
To respond to these gaps, Champions Global College Njinikijem and partners convened the Education Quality Assurance Symposium on Saturday 30 August 2025 in Bamenda. The event brought together 23 participants, including board members, administrators, teachers, and a carefully selected panel of experts in pedagogy and andragogy to brainstorm on how to raise the bar for effective teaching and learning from the upcoming academic year moving forward.
Coordinator of the symposium, Professor Confidence Ngam, set the tone by reminding participants that while physical infrastructures may remain constant, the perception of knowledge by students is ever-changing.
“Curriculum might not have changed, classrooms might not have changed, and students might not have changed but the way knowledge is perceived and delivered must evolve. Teachers must be more equipped, more disposed, and more savvy not only in knowledge but in technique.” Prof. Ngam explained,
According to him, the symposium was conceived as a deliberate exercise to sharpen the skills of teachers before the start of the academic year, ensuring that they are not left to “go ahead on their own” but are constantly guided, updated, and motivated.
The one-day event featured a series of expert-led presentations that covered curriculum development, building sustainable teachers, crisis preparedness, legal frameworks in education, and the integration of digital tools. Prof. Ngam likened the experience to “a medicinal kitchen” where the right ingredients of teaching methods were mixed to produce a holistic model for knowledge transmission and assimilation.
Speakers tackled the issues head-on. Professor Ngam Confidence Chia drew lessons from the U.S. education system, pointing to clear curriculum standards, continuous teacher training and data-driven decision-making as workable solutions. Ngam Nsom Chris highlighted the need to build “sustainable teachers” through mentorship and inclusivity, while Mr. Tameh Valentine emphasised safe, enabling learning environments as a prerequisite for creativity.
Other presenters focused on holistic training, digital adaptation and crisis resilience. Dr. Jerome Ndam Mungwe urged schools to embrace STEM and project-based learning, and Sulem Johnson advised on survival strategies for teaching in conflict-prone settings.
“This symposium is a means to sharpen skills. It is a means to keep teachers alive, to prepare them for the exigencies of the time, and to ensure that the curriculum whether hands-on or theoretical reflects the realities of the information age.” Prof Confidence Ngam justified
For Champions Global College, the initiative is about preparing teachers not just to master subject matter, but also to embody professionalism and sustainability in their careers.
Prof. Ngam stressed that the role of teachers is no longer limited to delivering content; it extends to mentorship, inclusivity, digital literacy, and community engagement.
“Teachers must learn not only to evaluate students objectively, but to carry themselves in ways that are sustainable and inspiring within our North West context,” he said.
At the close of discussions, participants adopted several resolutions. Chief among them was the decision to make the symposium a yearly tradition, with follow-up mechanisms to measure its impact, to replicate the training across wider audiences, provide teachers with digital tools, strengthen collaboration with regional authorities, and integrate hands-on methods into academic programmes.
The Deputy Sub-Director for General Affairs from the North regional delegation, representing the Ministry of Secondary Education, applauded the initiative as a demonstration of how private education stakeholders can support government efforts in raising standards.
Prof. Ngam made it clear that while the symposium was born within Champions Global College, its vision is broader. He revealed plans to develop it into a consultancy platform that other schools in the region can join in the years ahead.
“In time, we want to see teachers from other institutions come on board, so that quality assurance becomes not just a project of one school, but a movement that uplifts education standards across the region,” he emphasised.
The true test of the symposium, Prof. Ngam admitted, will not be in the elegance of its resolutions but in the concrete changes it inspires in classrooms. A follow-up committee will monitor its impact on three levels: teachers and administrators, students who receive the knowledge, and the wider community that interacts with the school.
Participants expressed optimism that the training will produce teachers who are not only technically skilled but also emotionally intelligent, digitally prepared, and more connected to their students’ realities.
With the North West Region still grappling with the effects of conflict, the symposium also addressed the role of teachers in crisis-prone environments. The message was clear: education must not only survive but thrive even in difficult neighbourhoods. For Prof. Ngam, this was one of the most urgent reasons for the event.
“The community in which the school is found is part of the teaching ecosystem. “If the community is in crisis, teachers must know how to carry on with resilience and adaptability, ensuring that knowledge transmission is not completely disrupted.” he noted
Like many other participants, the outgoing principal of Champions Global College reiterated the importance of making the symposium a regular feature in the life of the school. Teachers left with renewed confidence, armed not only with theory but with strategies to navigate the complexities of modern classrooms.
According to the coordinator and his team, the symposium was the beginning of a tradition of reflection, adaptation, and innovation.
“The expectations,” he concluded, “are that by the end of this year, we will be able to measure how much this exercise has impacted teaching. That is the only way to ensure we are truly empowering minds and transforming futures.”
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
Tel: 6 94 71 85 77
