The fifth cohort of the “One Youth, One Banana Plantain Plantation” programme has been launched this June 3, 2026, at the National School of Administration and Magistracy (#ENAM) in Yaoundé.
The event was marked by an award ceremony under the chairmanship of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gabriel Mbaïrobe.
The ceremony has brought together key government officials, including Dr. Taïga, Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, as well as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou, who is also serving as the interim Minister of Employment and Vocational Training.
Present at the occasion is Samuel Tony Obam, a key figure in the banana-plantain value chain and programme coordinator. He outlined expectations for participants ahead of their one-month immersion tour in Kribi.
The program is in line with efforts to promote youth employability and agricultural entrepreneurship. Some 500 students drawn from five private higher education institutions received start-up kits and labour-saving machines before departing for a one-week immersion programme at the Banana Plantain Value Chain Incubator in Kribi.
The initiative, launched under the fifth cohort of the “One Youth, One Banana Plantain Plantation” programme, is designed to equip young participants with practical skills and market-oriented competencies in banana plantain production and transformation.
A total of 208,761 candidates across Cameroon began the written phase of the 2026 GCE examinations on June 2, reflecting a 2.16 percent decline compared to the 213,361 candidates registered in 2025.
The nationwide examination exercise commenced at exactly 8:00 a.m., with candidates sitting their first papers under strict examination regulations.
To monitor the smooth conduct of the session, the Minister of Secondary Education, Nalova Lyonga, launched an inspection tour of selected examination centres in Yaoundé.
Her first stop was Government Technical High School Yaoundé III, while the Inspector General of Education, Adjaba Biwoli Jean Pierre, carried out parallel supervisory visits across other centres.
At Government Bilingual High School Mendong and other visited centres, the Minister assessed key examination conditions, focusing mainly on the adequacy of lighting in examination halls and the installation of security cameras aimed at ensuring fairness and transparency.
Accompanying the ministerial team, the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Secondary Education, Boniface Bayaola, observed that although overall technical arrangements were satisfactory across both the Anglophone and Francophone subsystems, some shortcomings were still noted, particularly in examination halls and lighting conditions.
Concluding her tour at Government Bilingual Technical High School Nsam, Minister Nalova Lyonga cautioned that schools failing to meet required standards of cleanliness, lighting, and security risk losing their status as GCE examination centres in future sessions, while commending centres that complied fully with the set standards.
Harmonizing the Blood collection system is one of the major reforms the National Blood Transfusion Service is embarking on to address blood collection problems in Cameroon.
The General Manager of the NBTS, Prof. Dora Mbanya disclosed the information to media professionals on June 1, while chairing the press briefing in prelude to the annual observance slated for June 14 across the globe.
Representatives of blood donor associations, civil society organizations, other partners and media professionals were among those to whom the reforms in blood collection were rolled out.
The 2026 World Blood Donor Day will hold in Cameroon on the theme « One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives. »
Highlighting the importance of this year’s theme, the NTBS General Manager said
« It is a simple, but profound reality: blood donation is far more than a medical act. It’s an act of humanity. It’s an expression of solidarity between citizens who may never meet, but whose lives become connected through a single gesture, » Prof Mbanya said.
En route to a Robust Blood Collection System
One of the major reforms being implemented by the NBTS to fulfill its mission of ensuring quality blood is available and accessible in Cameroon is the harmonization of the blood collection system. This is being implemented to improve visibility of available blood resources across the country, anticipate shortages and respond promptly.
Cameroon requires 400,000 pints of blood annually, but currently meets only 47%, representing less than half of its annual blood needs. This has resulted in a recurrent shortage which is fueled by persistent challenges including insufficient national coverage of blood needs, low levels of voluntary unpaid blood donation, regional disparity in access to blood products, limited specialized human resources, and aging equipment and infrastructure in several blood banks .
To change the tides in the blood collection outcomes in Cameroon, the NBTS is banking on two recently completed strategic documents ; the National Policy on Blood Transfusion and a Strategic Plan of the National Blood Transfusion Service for 2026-2030.
Added to this is the groundwork for a modern data system and a more structured approach to community mobilization, currently being laid down thanks to the Project to Support the Deployment of the National Blood Transfusion Service of Cameroon (PADOC), funded by Expertise France and launched on July 11, 2025.
« These documents provide a coherent framework for the development of the sector and define the vision, priorities and actions required to ensure universal access to blood products, » Prof. Mbanya said.
According to the General Manager of the NBTS, the PADOC project has already ushered in significant progress in training, digitalization, governance and strengthening hospital blood banks. Less than one year after its launch, 660 health professionals have been enrolled in training programs, over 330 successfully trained and 14 blood banks equipped with blood collection equipment.
The NTBS will step up efforts to raise awareness about the urgent need for regular blood donation to ensure access to patients in need during commemorative activities for the World Blood Donor Day. The structure has set out a national plan to raise awareness among at least 1million people, collect at least 4000 pints of blood, recruit at least 2000 new donors and mobilize 3,500 people for awareness walks , estimated to cost close to 270 millionFCFA.
Commemorative activities of the 2026 World Blood Donor Day include a fitness walk on June 6, a webinar dedicated to discussing challenges affecting blood donation in Cameroon, blood donation and awareness campaigns across the country, and a round table to identify strategies to spur young people to voluntary donate blood.
A school-based nutrition and health education programme, evaluated this May 28, 2026 in Yaoundé, has recorded significant improvements in students’ knowledge and behaviour, according to evaluation findings and programme data presented during a session led by the Ministry of Secondary Education in collaboration with the Research and Sustainable Development Institute (RSD Institute).
The review assessed implementation and early impact of the initiative aimed at integrating nutrition education into secondary schools to promote healthier diets and regular physical activity among adolescents. The Minister of Secondary Education, Prof. Nalova Lyonga, called for the expansion of healthy school canteens, student cash wallet systems, and school gardens to strengthen nutrition outcomes nationwide.
Evaluation findings presented show a 56% increase in overall nutrition knowledge among students, alongside improved practical skills such as reading food labels, identifying misleading nutrition information, and discussing healthy eating at home. Programme data presented indicate that the initiative has reached over 1.1 million adolescents, trained thousands of school staff and food vendors, sensitised hundreds of thousands of parents and 2,828 schools touched nationwide.
School administrators also shared field feedback, including the principal of GBHS Foumbot, who noted that nutrition and healthy living messages are regularly integrated into school gatherings.
Participants at the evaluation session underscored the importance of continued coordination and further strengthening of implementation as the programme progresses.
Cameroon has officially launched the 2026 “We Ring the Bell” campaign in Yaoundé, stepping up efforts to expand access to education for children with disabilities. Launched on May 29 at the Yaoundé IV Council under the theme “Leaving No Child with Disabilities Behind: Financing Inclusive Education in Cameroon,” the event brought together government officials, development partners and civil society actors.
The Minister of Social Affairs, Pauline Irène Nguene, reaffirmed government commitment to inclusive education, stressing ongoing reforms and the need to fight stigma and discrimination while promoting collective responsibility in supporting learners with disabilities.
She noted that the global campaign, backed by the Liliane Foundation, has mobilised stakeholders in over 100 countries in support of Sustainable Development Goal 4, with Cameroon continuing efforts to improve access and learning conditions for children with special needs.
The Secretary of State at the Ministry of Basic Education, Asheri Kilo Vivian, highlighted that the 2024 inclusive education policy aligns with the National Development Strategy 2020–2030 and targets at least 25% access to quality inclusive education for persons with special needs by 2028.
Despite these commitments, some parents say financial challenges such as transport and school support services remain barriers, calling for stronger assistance to ensure full participation of children with disabilities in education.
Thousands of candidates across Cameroon this Monday May 25, 2026 began the written phase of the Baccalaureate 2026 examinations organised by the Office du Baccalauréat du Cameroun (OBC), with series A, ABI, C, D, E, SH and TI sitting for papers that will run until May 30.
At examination centres nationwide, candidates were subjected to strict security checks as supervision was intensified to curb malpractice and ensure discipline. The session opened smoothly at 8 a.m. with Literature for series A4 Espagnol, A4 Chinois and Série C, as centres maintained a calm and orderly atmosphere.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Secondary Education, Prof. Nalova Lyonga, inspected several centres in Yaoundé, including Lycée de Biyem-Assi, Lycée Général Leclerc, and Lycée d’Élig-Essono, to assess compliance with examination standards. During the tour, she urged candidates to remain focused and avoid distractions, especially from social media, while stressing strict respect of examination regulations, including proper seating arrangements and supervision protocols.
The Minister expressed satisfaction with the overall organisation, noting that the Office du Baccalauréat du Cameroun was effectively enforcing the rules as the examination process continues nationwide.
Egoh Yvonne (Intern)
Développement durable : le Cameroun se tourne vers l’Economie circulaire
La cérémonie officielle de lancement de la feuille de route de cette économie circulaire a eu lieu ce 22 mai au ministère de l’Économie, de la Planification et de l’Aménagement du Territoire.
Cette rencontre marquait ainsi l’aboutissement d’un processus engagé le 22 octobre 2024, avec le lancement du projet d’élaboration de ce document stratégique grâce l’appui de la Banque Africaine de Développement (BAD).
Importance de l’économie circulaire
Face aux défis environnementaux croissants liés à l’évolution des modes de consommation et à la pression exercée sur les ressources naturelles, l’économie circulaire apparaît aujourd’hui comme une réponse adéquate. Chaque année, le Cameroun produit plus de 6 millions de tonnes de déchets, dont une part importante demeure insuffisamment collectée ou valorisée, avec des répercussions sur l’environnement, la santé publique et le cadre de vie des populations.
Une feuille de route stratégique
Il s’agit d’un instrument destiné à accompagner la transition du Cameroun vers un modèle économique plus durable, créateur de richesses, d’emplois verts et résilient face aux changements climatiques.
Elle vise notamment à :
-Optimiser les processus de production, en valorisant davantage les matières premières;
-Renforcer les systèmes de collecte et de gestion durable des déchets ;
-Stimuler les investissements dans les secteurs à fort potentiel circulaire ;
-Favoriser la création d’emplois verts et inclusifs, notamment pour les jeunes et les femmes ;
-Contribuer à la résilience climatique, conformément aux engagements du Cameroun en matière de réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre.
Par cette démarche, le Cameroun et son partenaire la Banque Africaine de Développement, réaffirment leur engagement à promouvoir des politiques publiques innovantes, capables de concilier croissance économique, préservation de l’environnement et amélioration durable des conditions de vie des populations.
Début des épreuves écrites des baccalauréats de l’Enseignement général ce 25 mai 2026. Fouille systématique, vérification des listes de candidats etc., achat des fournitures rythment l’arrivée progressive des élèves dans les différents centres.
Teachers’ Training Colleges in Cameroon have been equipped with ICT equipment donated by UNESCO.
The equipment was officially handed over to the Ministry of Secondary Education on May 22, 2026 at the Distance Learning Centre in Yaoundé.
It is part of a project funded by the Government of Japan, and executed by the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa(IICBA).
The equipment comprises 48 desktop computers, nine laptops, eight LCD projectors, eight smart boards, eight multifunctional printers, eight backup hard drives, eight PC servers with central hubs, and two solar backup systems destined for Teachers’ Training Colleges across the country.
According to the Minister of Secondary Education, Prof. Nalova Lyonga, the equipment will be distributed to institutions in Buea, Bamenda, Garoua, Yagoua, Edea, Bertoua, Ebolowa and Bafoussam.
She says the equipment will strengthen teacher-training, and improve inclusive access to quality education, which aligns with government efforts to reinforce the digital transformation of the education sector.
Senior Programme Coordinator at UNESCO-IICBA, Sall Saliou, explained that the programme also focuses on building teachers’ capacities in the use of ICTs and creating safer learning environments in schools.
Cameroon is among six African countries benefiting from the project alongside Chad, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.
