The eighth annual congress of Cameroon English Teachers is currently taking place in Yaounde.

English Language and Literature Teachers in Cameroon are making their mark in reinforcing the existence and teaching of the English Language in the country. Currently meeting in Yaounde for the eighth annual congress of the Cameroon English Language and Literature Teachers Association (CAMELTA), the teachers want to build bridges in English Language teaching while ensuring quality learner development through new pedagogic approaches.

While opening the four-day congress, the Minister of Secondary Education, Louis Bapes Bapes, said such a congress is necessary to the association not only to make a balance sheet but also for the teachers to put a finger on what is supposed to be done to improve the quality of English Language teaching. While stressing that when teachers stop learning, they should stop teaching, Louis Bapes Bapes acknowledged the lack of financial and human resources teachers face in carrying out their daily task. He saluted the reliable contribution of CAMELTA and its partners (US Embassy in Cameroon and the British Council-Cameroon) and promised to work with CAMELTA in ensuring that Cameroonians, particularly youths, speak and write good English.

Talking on the new pedagogic approaches in teaching the English Language, CAMELTA National President, Dorothy Forbin, who is also a Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Secondary Education, said it is an approach that puts students at the centre of learning. In this situation, priority is given to the student. Dorothy Forbin said CAMELTA is basically out to get teachers out of their isolation in classrooms into a more human and attractive background so that teachers can enjoy collaboration, network and exchange with other teachers to share the best practices in achieving the goals in the teaching of the English Language in Cameroon.

Since CAMELTA has become a member of the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Association (abbreviated TESOL), Shelley Wong from TESOL in the United States of America is attending the current congress to deliver a keynote paper titled "Dialogue Pedagogy: A New Pedagogical Approach for Learner Development". Discussions will also focus on other topics such as "Teachers and Professional Development", "English for Work and the Work Place", "Changing Homework Habits", "the Power of Images", etc