CAMTEL General Manager Judith Yah poses with dignitaries and officials during the launch of Bilingualism Day at CAMTEL headquarters in Yaoundé
Cameroon Telecommunications (CAMTEL) has set a strong example in promoting bilingualism in the country by designating every Wednesday as “Bilingualism Day.” This initiative was launched during a ceremony at CAMTEL’s headquarters in Yaoundé on Wednesday, May 12, 2021.
The event was presided over by CAMTEL’s General Manager, Mme Judith Yah Sunday, who was accompanied by special guests, including the Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon, H.E. Richard Bale. Representatives from the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, as well as the Linguistic Pilot Center, also attended the ceremony.
As explained by Mme Judith Yah Sunday, the introduction of a Bilingualism Day aligns with the constitutional provision that recognizes English and French as the official languages of equal status in Cameroon.
“Encouraging staff to actively practice bilingualism has been a longstanding tradition at CAMTEL. We are ensuring that every Wednesday, all our English-speaking staff will speak French, and all our French-speaking staff will speak English,” said CAMTEL’s G.M during the event, as she highlighted CAMTEL’s ongoing efforts to promote bilingualism among its employees.
H.E. Richard Bale, the Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon, praised Judith Yah for setting an exemplary standard in promoting bilingualism within the company, drawing parallels with Canada’s own experience.
“Canada, like Cameroon, is a bilingual country with two official languages. It takes continuous hard work to maintain and strengthen bilingualism in a nation. I commend the leadership shown by CAMTEL’s General Manager in spearheading the promotion of bilingualism. It would be beneficial if more institutions followed this example, encouraging and supporting bilingualism in both official languages,” said H.E. Richard Bale.
Mme Agnes Mbappe, representing the Chairman of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, also expressed her satisfaction with CAMTEL’s efforts.
“Two years ago, we were in the field encouraging public enterprises to promote bilingualism. Today, we are proud to see that CAMTEL is adhering to the recommendations made by the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism,” she stated.
Brigitte Edibi Fama, Director of the Yaoundé Pilot Linguistic Center, was also present at the ceremony. She emphasized the Center’s commitment to promoting the use of both official languages in Cameroon and expressed her readiness to support Judith Yah’s initiative, even extending it to schools.
In her closing remarks, Judith Yah acknowledged the efforts of Peter Mafany Musonge, Chairman of the Bilingualism Commission, for leading the charge in promoting bilingualism in Cameroon. She called on all staff to support the “Bilingualism Day” initiative, which will now encourage CAMTEL staff to be role models of bilingual citizenship every Wednesday.