DDR Bamenda : Ex-fighters Among Successful GCE Candidates

By Raymond Dingana

Some ex-combattants who once fought against the state of Cameroon in the war ravaging lives in the two Anglophone regions of the North West and South West of the country have registered successes in the just released results of exams organized by the Cameroon General Certificate of Education, GCE Board.

The repentant separatist fighters currently at the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Center, DDR Bamenda sat in for both the Ordinary and Advanced Levels part of the examination and two succeeded out of the five that wrote the exam.

Sevidzem Beri, Former Member Of Non State Armed Group Who Succeeded In The June Session Of The GCE

26-year-old Sevidzem Beriy who says she is two years old at the DDR Center from a non state armed group in Donga Mantung, a Division in the Anglophone North West Region is one of the successful candidates who pocketed three Advanced Level papers with 6 points in the A1 series made up of ( History, French, English Literature and English Language)

It was not easy studying here at the DDR Center because of the crowd but determination saw me through. This certificate means a lot to me. My next target is to go in for competitive entrance examinations in to the public service, 

said Beriy. I have always wanted to become a Journalist but I changed my mind and my new dream is to become a Custom Officer.

She further revealed that when she finally settles down, her dream is to create a women foundation in order to help her fellow gender not to go astray in life.

The current prefect of the Bamenda DDR center Echu Moses,33 years of age is also celebrating his successes at the GCE Ordinary Level grabbing 4 papers out of the papers he went in for. As to why we went back to school, Echu said he has always dreamt of making it big in life with education being the key to success. Moses further said he first sat in for the GCE in 2008 but failed and his second attempt gave him four papers, Civic Education, French, English Language and Commerce.

DDR Bamenda Coordinator, Kum Henry Put Education As One Of His Priorities

During a presser with Journalists at the DDR head office at Up Station in Bamenda I Municipality, Monday August 21,2022, the North West Regional Coordinator, Kum Henry Ichu disclosed that a full fledged Primary School is envisaged for the center. He explained that the aim is to provide education for the children of the ex-fighters.

North West Regional Coordinator of DDR, Kum Henry Ichu At The Press Conference

Quizzed on why he didn't think of rather enrolling the kids to a regular school not far from the center in order to give them the opportunity to play with their mates, the coordinator said,

The tender ages of these children doesn't permit them to be moving in and out of the center on a daily basis because of insecurity and others.It is better to bring education closer to the pupils.When we finally move to the perminent side in Mankon,they will have enough space to play and do other things and it's going to help them psychologically thanks to the ultra-modern nature of the place.

On how those who sat in for the GCE studied, Kum Henry pointed out that the center made good use of a secondary school around where the ex fighters attended classes just like the other students.

As part of Kum Henry's dreams for DDR Bamenda which he says is to transform the place to a production center, the coordinator indicated that, 

We started with livestock and come next planting season, we will embark on the maize, cassava and beans seed multiplication  project so that we can sell to farmers in the North West Region.

He also used the presser to reiterate calls for those he said are still carrying guns to drop them and join their mates at the DDR Center in Bamenda and benefit from the services the center is offering.

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