Some 39 outstanding pupils and students in this year's public examinations in the Southwest received symbolic cheques from the country's leading brewery company, Les Brasseries du Cameroun, Friday, October 10.

The award of the cheques was the fulfilment of the promise made by the Company, and the recent publication of the names of some 300 pupils and students in the country who benefited scholarships worth FCFA 60 million.The recognition of excellence is one of the several activities Les Brasseries du Cameroun is carrying out to mark the 60th anniversary celebration of the Company.

The ceremony to honour the students took place at King David's Square Hotel Muea, Buea, under the supervision of the Southwest Regional Manager of Les Brasseries du Cameroun, Daniel Tchakounang, the Registrar of the Cameroon GCE Board, Humphrey Ekema Monono, and the Chief of Service for Communications at Les Brasseries du Cameroun, Helen Kemenge, among other personalities of the Company.

The laureates that had representatives from the six Divisions of the Southwest, were selected for the scholarships after emerging as the best students in the various public examinations in the country from the primary to the high school level.

Thus, the scholarships were offered to the six best pupils at the CEP (Harmonys Fandio Chienang, Bruna Nkiangu, Aureline Fonnou, Francine Rachel Ntemfomo, Antoine Nyaweri Wadjom and Cedric Ngandjou), seven best pupils at the First School Leaving Certificate (Nnane Ekungwekang, Fritz Lyonga Ngoisah, Blessing Mokede Epolle, Ciderine Tanyidong Fietsop, Theophilius Ndangha Abukina, Harrison Nji Ahanda and Deidonne Nganga Asibong).

Ten best students at the GCE O/L in General Education including (Emma Woks Namanou, Hilda Tonge Ekwoge, Glory Misori Lisongwe Masango, Stephen Willy Fokui Tounsi, Gerald Nfongang Etta, Daniel Ndipachere Ndipenock, Eric Mbia Sampson Junior, Carine Zemstop Nkenganyi, William Mandela Nzoyoum Kuetche and Gerald Ngome Nyame).

There was also six best students at the GCE O/L Technical Education (Tatiana Abang Teboh, Amos BNgoe Ndinde, Betty Ebenye Shalman, Abenego Chukwuneye E., Joel Cheambon Tufoin and Kevin Ayuk Inyang), the best student at the BEPC (Victorine Caroline Ngo Bakot), two best students at the CAP (Relides Wase Bisong and Gentizou Pumokmo), three best BACCALAUREAT students (Martial Steve Tiwa Fomekong, Boris Teabe Djomgwe and Josue Romuald Kabeng Nteudem), three best students at the GCE A/L General Education (Lionel Ambe Neba, Leo Esukane Ntoh and Lathifa Mady Nnap) and the best student at the GCE A/L Technical Education (Nadine Niba).

Also, each of the laureates received a personal message of congratulations and encouragement from the General Manager of Les Brasseries du Cameroun, Andre Siaka.

Besides the cheques, the laureates were offered gifts including the company's glasses and loins.

Speaking at the occasion, the Regional Manager, Daniel Tchakounang, said, as a citizen-oriented company, Les Brasseries du Cameroun seeks to encourage excellence by offering the scholarships.

Tchakounang told The Post that their intention is to encourage hard work and help parents who find it difficult to sponsor their children, especially those who excel in school. "I must say this scholarship programme is not only for students of the Southwest but it is a nationwide thing where we have offered scholarships worth FCFA 60 million to some 300 students.

Our action is to prove that we are a citizen-oriented company. This year Les Brasseries du Cameroun is celebrating its 60th anniversary, and through this anniversary, like other programmes such as the National Song competition, Top Cup competition and the Crayon of Djino competition, we hope to reach out to the people and encourage talent and promote excellence.

Still as part of the anniversary celebrations, a few months back, we went throughout the country and carried out free diabetes and high blood pressure tests and distributed drugs to more than 60,000 people. The motivation for the scholarship award is that most people face enormous difficulties in the country today in educating their children due to hardship.

Our gesture is to help parents to send their children to school. For the students, the gesture is to encourage excellence that is why only the best students have been selected," he said.

He said further that the Company does not only give awards but does its best to be near its customers and consumers.

"Besides the scholarship awards, we have started to plant trees in the Northern Province to protect the environment. On the side of Les Brasseries, we will have to put a waste water system in all our companies to combat pollution. We have other programmes which we wish to complete by the end of the 60th anniversary celebration."

Also speaking at the occasion, the GCE Board Registrar praised the gesture of Les Brasseries du Cameroun and remarked that the Company has always supported his office through its numerous gestures and activities. While beckoning other enterprises to emulate the example, Monono expressed the wish that the scholarship award becomes an annual event.

He advised the laureates to work hard to build a great future for themselves and the nation.

The Chief of Service for Communications at Les Brasseries du Cameroun, Helen Kemengne, while presenting the programme, highlighted the Company's promotion of talents and continuous effort to promote excellence among students.

She disclosed that Les Brasseries du Cameroun has pledged to sponsor the best BACCALAUREAT student in the Province whose parents are unable to sponsor in the university. Kemengne stated that in order to encourage the scholarisation of the girl child in the Northern Provinces, 60 scholarships were reserved exclusively for girls in the area.

Meanwhile, she acknowledged that the company benefited from the technical support of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, the GCE Board and the Office de BACCALAUREAT for the success of the programme.

One of the laureates, Nadine Niba, who received a cheque of FCFA 500,000 as the best student at the GCE A/L Technical Education, said, "I am quite impressed by the gesture and I hope other companies could emulate Les Brasseries du Cameroun in this kind of gestures.

By rewarding excellence, the Company is encouraging hard work which will help to build the country in the future.After the Southwest, the programme will proceed to the West and subsequently to the Northern provinces of the country.