Evangelical Church to establish technology university

The first stone has been laid in Douala of UTEC, the Université de Technologies du Cinquantenaire, a new technology university being built at a cost of XAF25 billion (US$42.7 million) by the Cameroon Evangelical Church.

Reverend Isaac Batomen Henga, general president of the church, announced at the launch of the project’s 14-hectare site that the university would be known in full as the Institut Supérieur de Technologies Jean Kotto du Cinquantenaire, reported the Cameroon Tribune of Yaoundé.

Jacques Marcel Ngahne Ngouaba, pastor of the Cinquantenaire parish, recalled the four ‘pillars’ of the university: ethics and spirituality, sustainable development, professionalism, and entrepreneurial spirit.

As well as French, there would be emphasis on English and Mandarin, and graduates would be competitive not only in the Cameroon market but internationally.

Ngouaba said UTEC would be “a place where men and women will come to be educated and instructed to live with others and take charge of developing society”.

Batomen Henga emphasised the ‘total’ approach that the church must take, not only caring for the salvation of souls of the faithful.

“We must move on to be a holistic church which watches over the fulfilment of the Christian in all ways, including social well-being and intellectual instruction. It is important today that churches remember their social function,” the Cameroon Tribune reported him as saying.

He referred to the church’s past good works, including health centres, nursery, primary and secondary schools, and its university at Bandjoun.

The Evangelical Church has three million followers out of nine million Protestants in Cameroon, reported the Cameroon Tribune.

The paper noted that the collection of funds at the ceremony included XAF6 million from President Paul Biya, donated by his representative who was present.

* This article is drawn from local media. University World News cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original reports.