Old students of the Bilingual Grammar School (BGS)Buea affectionately tagged the ‘BIGSEA’ celebrates the Golden Jubilee of their alma mater with a call from the school’s principal, Lois Ebenye Ikome, for them to preserve the institution for posterity.The three-day activities to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of BGS Buea ran from October 23-25, 2014.

52 years ago, a Presidential Decree created the Federal Bilingual Grammar School Molyko Buea and one year later, in 1963, the school opened in Man O War Bay, in Victoria (now Limbe) with 70 young Cameroonian boys. Since then, thousands of Cameroonians have been trained in the school which today is BGS Buea. The school has trained individuals who are today key contributors to the country's development.

The school clocked 50 years on October 28, 2013, but the celebrations were pushed to this year by BIGSEA branch in Buea due to the fact that the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Cameroon’s reunification was imminent.

Chief Fritz Gerald Nasako, National President of Bilingual Grammar School Ex-Students Association (BIGSEA), the principal of the school noted that they were celebrating the towering and unique position of the school in strengthening national integration through bilingualism.

Many ex-students of BGS Buea have come back to invest in their alma mater, a school that contributed to the shaping their destinies. The BIGSEA for many years have run a ‘Prize Award Ceremony’, thereby encouraging academic excellence.

Last year, the 1985 batch of BGS Buea gave special awards to meritorious students and paid for 60 choir robes when the school turned gold. Two years ago, the 1983 batch repaired some toilets in the school.

But when the current principal of the school mounted the rostrum to address the ex-students, she indicated that the school is in dire need of renovations. “… As you look at your former school over many year, I hope you still feel attached to your alma mater which is in dire need of repairs. The state has done so much for the institution, but there is more still to be done.

The infrastructure have deteriorated and need a facelift. The state continues to do a lot considering the fact that they pay close to 200 well trained civil servants to run the institution.

But the burden on the Ministry of Secondary Education is huge as the number of public secondary institutions have increased since the Federal Bilingual Grammar School was established in 1963,” Lois Ebenye Ikome said.

She went on to make a clarion call on the old-students, challenging them “to do something for this institution to preserve it for posterity.” “Could you create a Trust Fund for the running of this institution? This is the time for ‘Bigseans’ to think big about their alma mater. Every BIGSEA can and should do something.

Last year, we missed a wonderful opportunity to include this institution as one of the structures for rehabilitation during the twin anniversary celebrations of Cameroon…

Although we shouldn’t cry over lost opportunities, we should at least learn important lessons from them,” the 12th principal of BGS Molyko said. In response to the call, Chief Fritz Gerald Nasako pledged the determination of the old-students to lift BGS Buea to higher heights.

The occasion ended with the inauguration of the anniversary monument and the laying of the foundation stone of the Paul Biya Ultra-Modern Library of Excellence.

Former principals of BGS Buea in the likes of Humphrey Ekema Monono and Paul Meoto Njie were present at this august occasion.