By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Weeklong activities celebrating the 2026 National Week of Bilingualism concluded on Friday, February 6, with the Minister of Secondary Education, Dr. Nalova Lyonga, chairing the closing event at GBTHS Nsam in Yaoundé.
She was accompanied by a distinguished delegation of MINESEC officials, principals, and students from various secondary schools across the Mfoundi Division. This 21st edition of the national celebration was held under the forward-looking theme, “Artificial Intelligence at the Service of Bilingualism.”
The closing ceremony featured a diverse array of activities designed to showcase student talent and intellectual engagement. Students delivered moving performances of poems highlighting the vital importance of bilingualism, followed by musical presentations themed, “Bilingualism: A Window to the World.”
A central highlight of the day was a rigorous debate on whether integrating Artificial Intelligence into the promotion of official bilingualism is the definitive key for Cameroon’s future.
Earlier in the week, the 21st Edition was officially launched in Edea on Monday, February 2. Professor Nalova Lyonga presided over the opening alongside Samuel Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua, the Governor of the Littoral Region, and Bayaola Boniface, the Secretary of State in MINESEC responsible for Teacher Training.
They were joined by the Secretary General of MINESEC, Prof. Fabien Nkot, and several other high-ranking officials and local dignitaries to set the tone for the week’s objectives.
During her opening remarks, Minister Nalova Lyonga emphasized that the education sector has entered a post-COVID era that has significantly accelerated the role of technology. She encouraged the audience not to fear Artificial Intelligence but to use it as a tool to strengthen professional endeavors and educational outcomes.
“We are actually entering into a post COVID period, which has made technology go one step ahead as far as education is concerned. Don’t be afraid of Artificial Intelligence but use it to fortify you in whatever profession you are trying to do. Scientists have been able to bring up new tools and we who are teachers have to learn how to use these tools,” she said.
She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to linguistic equality, envisioning a future where technological innovations are pivotal in advancing bilingualism across the nation.
The launch event was further enriched by captivating artistic performances where local students used skits and debates to illustrate how technology can bridge language barriers. These discussions explored the potential of AI to provide personalized language learning and improved translation tools, while also serving as a means to preserve indigenous languages.
Through these demonstrations, the students proved their comprehension of the theme and their readiness to embrace a tech-integrated educational landscape.
