The Proprietress, The Head Teacher, Esteemed Teachers, Dear Parents and Guardians, Fellow Graduates, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good day to you all. On behalf of the Class of 2025, the 17th graduating batch of this remarkable institution in the capital city of Yaoundé, I warmly welcome you to our graduation ceremony. Today is not just any day. It is a day of double celebration. First, we are here to mark a major milestone: our graduation from primary school. It is a proud moment for each one of us, a moment that represents years of learning, growth, and discovery. Second, we are honored to be graduating just a day before the celebration of the Day of the African Child – a day that reminds the world of the strength, courage, and boundless potential of every African child. But before we go any further, let me take a moment on behalf of every graduate standing here to express our deepest, most heartfelt gratitude to our teachers from nursery to primary
Dear teachers You were more than just educators – you were mentors, motivators, guides, and even second parents. You believed in us on the days we doubted ourselves. You stayed late to mark our work, rose early to prepare our lessons, and found a way to make even the hardest subjects feel possible. You taught us not only how to read and write but how to think, how to ask questions, how to treat others with respect, and how to believe in our own potential. Your patience, kindness, and commitment have shaped who we are, and you will forever be a part of who we become. Today’s success is yours too. So, from all of us: thank you, thank you, thank you.
To our parents and families: your love, encouragement, and sacrifices brought us here today. You stood with us through every test, every challenge, every early morning. We are grateful beyond words. To my fellow graduates: congratulations! We’ve made it together. As we prepare to step into the next chapter of our journey, let us remember who we are: children of Africa, children of Cameroon brave, brilliant, and bold. Let us honor the legacy of the students in Soweto who, on June 16, 1976, stood up for their right to be educated in their own language. Their courage paved the way for us. I now invite everyone to stand and observe a minute of silence in remembrance of those brave children. [Pause for silence] Thank you. The Day of the African Child reminds us not only to celebrate our rights to education, to safety, and to be heard but also to work for a world where every African child enjoys those rights. Many children are still waiting, and we cannot forget them. So let us go forward, not just as graduates, but as changemakers determined to build a better Cameroon, and a better Africa for all. We are ready. We are rising. And we are proud. Fellow graduates, let us lift our heads high and, on the count of three, doff our caps in celebration of all we’ve achieved — and all that lies ahead. One… Two… Three… Doff your caps! Congratulations, Class of 2025! Happy Graduation. Thank you.
