Day: May 12, 2023

Final year pupils in various primary schools across the country are in full focus as they begin their official end of year exams.

Common entrance and entree en sixième examinations begin this Thursday May 11th 2023 and candidates are doing final touches in group as well as individual studies in order to maximize their chances of succeeding the exams.

“I am Steve, pupil of Class 6 at Government Bilingual Primary school Babadjou Toumaka. I am preparing for my common entrance exams that will take place on Thursday. To succeed, I do revisions in school and at home,” a class 6 pupil told us 24 hours to exam time.

When asked if he is confident he will succeed, Steve tells us he is.

“I am sure I will succeed because I did succeed in the mock exams and the lessons are easy.”

On their part, head teachers and teachers are confident that their pupils will make them proud judging from their performances in the mock exams.

The head teacher of Government Bilingual Practicing School Babadjou Toumaka, says he knows that his pupils will be successful because all instructions given are respected to the letter and the school put in place a preparatory system that also involved the psychological aspects.

“The children are confident of themselves because we made them so. The psychological preparation is there. We tell them that what they will meet during the exam will not be strange. They are things we teach them everyday and in which they score high. To make sure our strategy works out, we do revisions,” Aloysius, head teacher of the school tells us.

“I will estimate a 90% success rate because you know many of our children are from the restive North West and South West regions. These children are traumatized either with the distances they cover each week to reach school or with the environment in which they find themselves. With this we only have to boost them morally and give them full psychological support, ” Aloysius adds.

Teachers on their part are aware of the stakes of the exams and say the instructions given by hierarchy are strictly followed.

“As you can see we are fully engaged in revising the mock exams. We don’t know what the real exam will reserve but we are hopeful that 90% of the lessons we revise will appear in the exams,” declares a class 6 teacher.

The Common Entrance Examinations are taken by final year school pupils in Cameroon as part of selective admissions process into secondary schools.

After the common entrance, the pupils will have a month before they face their final examination: the First School Leaving Certicate.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Seychelles is mourning and remembering one of its beloved daughters, who was a teacher and an ardent protector and defender of children and their rights; former First Lady Geva Rene, née Adam.

Aged 90, Rene passed away on Thursday afternoon. She is survived by her sons Glenny, David and Francis Savy and seven grandchildren.

Rene was the second wife of President France Albert Rene, and they were married between 1975 and 1992. It was her second marriage, following the death of her first husband, Michel Savy.

For the Seychellois people, she was the epitome of an impeccably dressed First Lady, beautiful and graceful and kind towards everyone, who took the spotlight at public events in the 1980s. Her refinement and fashion sense were admired by all. She loved wearing hats for most occasions but sometimes she kept her long hair braided on the side. This image can be found in a stained-glass artwork at the Children’s Ark, a facility for child therapy, at Bel Eau on the main island of Mahe.

French First Lady Danielle Mitterand, President France Albert Rene and First Lady Geva Rene during President François Mitterand’s official visit to Seychelles in 1990 (personal family archive) Photo license: All Rights Reserved

Geva Rene has left a profound legacy where the protection of children and rights of children are concerned. She was the founder and patron of the National Council of Children (NCC), the Children’s Ark and the President’s Village orphanage.

In 1978, when the United Nations declared the International Year of the Child, Rene was instrumental in the setting up of the first Children’s Playground on Mahe, which opened later.

Childhood on the outer islands and becoming a teacher

Rene was born in the capital of Victoria to Louis Adam and Angela (née Uzice) from Praslin – the second most populated island of Seychelles – on October 30, 1932. She spent most of her childhood on the outer islands of the archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, where her father was an island manager and administrator.

According to her son, Captain David Savy, Rene was home-schooled by her mother, a teacher herself, alongside her other siblings, until the age of 11.

“She then went to school at the Saint Joseph Convent where she excelled, and after finishing her secondary schooling known as the High School Certificate, she was awarded a scholarship to study the UK to do her degree in teaching,” Savy told SNA on Friday.

Back on the islands in the mid 1950’s, she went on to occupy senior teaching posts as head teacher at Seychelles College and Modern School.

“She got married in 1958 to Michel Savy and went on to have three sons, Glenny, myself and Francis. In 1963, she returned to the UK for postgraduate studies in child psychology and education,” added Savy.

Following the death of her husband in a plane accident, she met France Albert Rene and they were married in 1975 until 1992, making her Seychelles’ first and longest-serving First Lady.

Contribution to the education sector

Aside from her remarkable work and contribution to children and the rights of children, Rene also made important contributions to education. Dedicated to the teaching profession, she helped to establish the first Teacher Training College and the Seychelles International School.

Former TV journalist and producer Jean Claude Matombe got to know Rene when he joined the National Council for Children in 1998. “Like many of us I knew her as the First Lady, but got to work with Mrs Rene and developed a lasting friendship during my work at NCC.”

“What stood up with Madam Rene was her love, passion, and devotion to the cause of children, their betterment. In fact, she loved families. One thing also is that in her heart she remained a teacher. Often, she shared how being a teacher has been some of the best times of her life… she also had an incredible sense of humour,” Matombe recalled to SNA.

Geva Rene adored children and dedicated her life to their protection and welfare (personal family archive) Photo license: All Rights Reserved

According to Matombe, when dealing with difficult children, Rene would often bring them to her home, to spend the night and for her to better understand and help them.

The former NCC communications executive added that Rene had a deep sense of gratitude and would always make the people be aware of it.

“Mrs Rene always had little treats for everybody, sweets and chocolates which she would share with us all. She also loved local fruits such as the tamarin, which she would always share with all of us staff.”

This, according to Matombe, led to a culture of sharing at the NCC. In 2011, Rene started to retire from NCC and the public eye, but Matombe kept in close contact with her.

“I was privileged to attend her 90th birthday last year and only three weeks ago myself and an ex-NCC director paid her a visit. Upon coming and when leaving, Rene blew us kisses,” Matombe told SNA on Friday.

Source: Seychelles News Agency