Plan International Cameroon has signed a partnership agreement with the Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC) to promote quality girl child education and to improve the health of learners. The convention was signed between the Resident Representative of Plan International Cameroon, Miriam Berena Castaneda and the Minister of Secondary Education, Nalova Lyonga, on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. This was during a double ceremony to also hand over wash kits to fight against Covid-19 in school premises. Within the partnership agreement, Plan International Cameroon will promote young girls to go to secondary school, improve quality of education and school life, professionalised teaching and enhance training as well as improve the health of learners.

The Minister of Secondary Education said cooperation between the public and private sectors is a key priority in her ministry. She lauded the partnership with Plan International Cameroon for the good of children especially the girl child. The Minister also expressed gratitude to the international NGO (PLAN International) for donating Covid-19 preventive kits (2,000 cartoons of cubes of soap and 250 buckets with taps) which will be dispatched to different school premises. She called on school authorities to make proper use of the gifts because Covid-19 is an unwelcome guest amongst us which has stayed longer than expected.

Miriam Berena Castaneda of Plan International Cameroon said the international NGO is working with the government in different sectors to support developmental strategies in Cameroon. Working with the Ministry of Secondary Education, Miriam Berena Castaneda said is part of her organisation’s actions to help put in place educational and developmental policies geared towards quality education especially for the girl child. Within the convention, Plan International Cameroon will also join the ministry to fight against violence in the school milieu, gender equality and inclusion as well as care given to children in conflict zones.