Course attestations were handed to students from several African countries over the weekend.

As the world fast becomes a global village with rapid technological advancement, it has become imperative for ambitious people to procure bilingual skills in order to meet up with international exigencies. Thus, many non-English-speaking Africans have found Cameroon a safe haven for the learning of English Language skills, given its bilingual status.

It is against this backdrop that nationals from nine African countries, namely Ivory Coast, Chad, Senegal, Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, Central African Republic, France (Cameroonians based in France) and Cameroon are constantly coming to the Buea Linguistic Centre for an Intensive English Language Programme (BIEP) to acquire oral and written skills in the English language.

The programme dubbed "Parlez Anglais en 21-30 jours" (speak English in 21-30 days) started in 2008 as a holiday programme but gained full steam in 2012 with over 400 students of various age groups already churned out. Prior to handing end of course attestations to some five students from Central African Republic, Congo, and Chad over the weekend, the course mentors tested their oral and written abilities in a public speaking forum that concluded their one-month stay at BIEP.

For 26-year-old Daidanso Maibabanne from Chad, English is a universal language which can enable her get international jobs. She expressed her wish to see her native Chad adopt English as an official language. Another trainee, 60-year-old Cameroonian business mogul in Douala, Homsi Jean Baptiste, said he dedicated three weeks in Buea in order to improve on his English Language.

Acquiring English Language skills will not only help him in his business transactions but will also help him to be at ease when communicating with Anglophone Cameroonians. On his part, the Promoter of the Buea Intensive English Programme said the objective is to enable people speak and use the language for effective communication, reason why emphasis is laid on oral skills.