The campus of Wague Bilingual Comprehensive Institute located at the SOA stretch came alive on August 14, 2026 as hundreds of graduates were officially sent off to higher institutions of learning.
The graduation ceremony honored laureates of the Baccalaureate examination and the GCE Advanced Level. Marking its third batch of graduates, the institution dedicated this year’s graduating class to the memory of Thérèse Sita-Bella, the iconic Cameroonian journalist, aviator, and Sub-Saharan Africa’s first female filmmaker. Demonstrating a clear focus on the students’ next steps, representatives from prominent higher education institutions and training centers, including ESMATA, ISTAPA, Train Vision, and the University of Yaounde 1, were present to provide guidance and orient the graduates toward sustainable socio-professional pathways.
The event was characterized by the presentation of academic certificates alongside cash and in-kind prizes awarded to top-performing students in the presence of proud parents and guardians. Reflecting on the significance of the chosen patron, Principal Blaise Dami highlighted that Sita-Bella served as a powerful role model, particularly for the female graduates who made up the majority of the class. The ceremony also served as a bridge between past and future milestones; administrators announced that the upcoming 4th edition will be dedicated to Professor Henri Hogbe Nlend, a pioneer in mathematics, former minister, and founder of the African Mathematical Union.
During the keynote presentations, intellectual figures provided actionable advice on navigating post-secondary education. Associate Professor Hermine Bille from the Faculty of Science at the University of Yaounde 1 urged students to move away from relying solely on parental choices and instead take ownership of their paths. She emphasized that a sustainable academic and professional choice rests at the intersection of three fundamental pillars: identifying one’s personal passion, recognizing natural talent, and aligning both with existing market opportunities.
Adding a strategic perspective on economic trends, Professor Octave Jokung, Founder of IUSN, encouraged the laureates to target high-impact growth sectors. Summarizing key development areas through the acronym “A-I-M-E-N-T” (Agriculture, Industry, and New Technologies), he advised students to pursue complex, future-oriented fields rather than conventional roles.
Furthermore, Professor Jokung stressed on the necessity of an entrepreneurial mindset, noting that with limited civil service positions, young Cameroonians must focus on innovation, self-reliance, and business creation to overcome broader employment challenges.
The impact of modernizing high school curricula was also highlighted during the ceremony, particularly Wague Institute’s commitment to digital transformation and artificial intelligence. Principal Dami noted that integrating these fields into the teaching curriculum has already yielded tangible results, with several graduates successfully passing competitive entrance examinations into elite institutions, including the National Advanced School of Engineering (Polytechnic), particularly in digital disciplines.
The graduates themselves expressed gratitude and shared ambitious visions for their academic futures. Laureate Kamwe Ciake Sanya Chloé, a Baccalaureate C graduate aspiring to join the African Institute of Computer Science dubbed IAI, credited the rigorous monitoring and foundational training at Wague for instilling the discipline needed to compete at top schools.
Similarly, Claude Mario Madajio highlighted how access to practical science and technology education, combined with strong teacher support, prepared him to pursue studies at the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences – FMSB with the long-term goal of specializing in cardiology.
