Baptist Secondary School, BSS Garoua that was founded during the 2008/2009 academic year, is preparing hard to graduate its second batch of 52 students.
According to the Principal, Awah Kingsley Sam, the first graduating batch scored 64 per cent in the 2012 General Certificate of Education, GCE Ordinary Level examination; with 10 out of the 14 candidates passing.
This year's Form Five students, made up of 30 art and 22 science students, is set to improve on last year's performance, the Principal assured. This, he explained, is because the students began Form One at the inception of the school in 2008 and have since gone through the rigorous drilling of Cameroon Baptist Convention, CBC educational training. Unlike last year's pioneer batch that joined the school in Form Two.
Currently a day school with an enrolment of 155 students and 20 staff members, Baptist Secondary School, Garoua is one of only two Anglophone colleges in the North Region. The school is the brainchild of Christ the King Baptist Church, Garoua and is located in the Djamboutou neighbourhood of Garoua I Subdivisional Council. The Education Department of the Cameroon Baptist Convention has since stepped in, assisting with the construction of additional classrooms and the provision of other facilities. BSS got its authorisations to open and operate from the Ministry of Secondary Education in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
"Parents are now assured that Baptist Secondary School, Garoua has come to stay after a period of initial hesitation. Our tuition fee is quite affordable and is the same for all classes. Moreover, the Parent Teacher Association, PTA levy per student is only FCFA 5,000!" revealed Awah Kingsley Sam. He lauded the CBC, PTA and Christ the King Baptist Church authorities for their constant support to the school.
According to the Principal, the school has bright prospects as it is able to pay its staff without resorting to financial assistance from outside. He attributed the situation to the prompt payment of fees by parents and the prudent financial management measures put in place. The pioneer Principal of BSS however appealed for more facilities like electricity, an administrative and classroom blocks.
