ANTIC has urged students of some four secondary schools in Yaounde to become cybersecurity ambassadors by putting into practice cybersecurity best practices transmitted to them during an awareness rasing campaign carried out by the Agency in their schools within the ambit of the first edition of the National Cybersecurity Week, 28 November – 01 December 2023.
The campaign which took place in the light of this year’s World Computer Day commemorated every November 30, targeted Govenment Bilingual High School Essos, Government Bilingual School Ekonou, Government High School Elig-Essono and Victor Hugo Institute.
It targeted youths, particularly students, since they constitute the greater proportion of ICT users, and sought to help them securely leverage the benefits offered by new technologies.
ANTIC used the outing to instill a cybersecurity culture in young Cameroonian ICT users by providing them with fundamental cybersecurity knowledge and best practices.
The cybersecurity educative talks in schools was just part of a comprehensive package of activities which ANTIC had earmarked for excution in a bid to reach all ICT users in Cameroon. In this light the National Cybersecurity Week equally featured the broadcast of cybersecurity messages via sms and the broadcast of cybersecurity micro radio programmes.
The campaign culminated in an ICT contest that grouped participants from the aforementioned schools in one of CRTV’s television programmes known by its French appellation as “Le Clash Des Durs”on Wednesday, December 6. Victor Hugo Institute emerged champions of the contest following their show of brilliance after three successsive rounds of questions. Nonetheless, all the contesting schools were awarded prizes offered by ANTIC’s Director General, Prof. Ebot Ebot Enaw.
Students laud initiative
The students who sat through the lectures and participated in the quizzes said the messages from the ANTIC team were very enriching.
Keumeneuh Bassong Micchelle, a Form IV student of the school said: “We were sensitised on online harassment and the need for us to be watchful of the messages we receive or send on social media. We were also told not to send our personal details to just anybody,”
Esaie Fotso on his part said: “I am very grateful to ANTIC for coming to talk to us about cybersecurity and the use of the internet. We learned a lot, especially why we should protect our personal information online and why we should verify information before sharing in order not to propagate fake news,”
ANTIC expects those who benefited from this campaign to preempt and denounce cybercrime cases to ANTIC, Gendarmerie or Police for prompt and efficient preventive action.
The week’s activities are were organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Post and telecommunications.
