The Centre for Clinical Pastoral Education and social Service (CECPES) department of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health services has officially deployed another cohort of social workers and Clinical Pastoral Education students into the field and communities. The graduation ceremony of the 17th Batch of CECPES Social workers and 8th batch of CPE students took place at the Director of Health Services (DHS) Conference Hall at the Nkwen Baptist Centre, Bamenda on May, 23 2026, comprising of 8 social work students and 8 clinical pastoral students, making a total of 16 graduands.
The graduation isn’t just about caps and gowns, but also, it signifies sending forth reinforcements for healing that goes beyond the body with training from CECPES under the Cameroon Baptist convention Health Services.
The Director of CECPES, Rev. Mbuh Julius, welcomed all leaders, parents, well-wishers, and friends, as well as the graduating students, congratulating them on their hard work and tenacity that has brought them to this day. “Today we are not just celebrating the completion of papers, clinical hours, countless late nights, we are celebrating the cultivation of human correction,” he stated. He went on to thank the Director of Health Services and Central Administration for their ongoing support of CECPES staff and lecturers, which allowed them to succeed in the training program. Rev. Mbuh provided light on the very diverse disciplines of Social Work and Clinical Pastoral Education.
Congratulating the graduating students, the CECPES Director encouraged them to stand in these spaces and perform with diligence and Excellence. “You have been trained for this. Today you are stepping into the broken realities of human experiences, to offer a lifeline of “You hope. In both these fields your greatest tool is you and your ability to offer your authentic compassionate and grounded presence,” he reenforced.
The Director of Health Services, Mr. Ngum Samuel, represented by the Personnel Manager, Mr. Ndosak George, thanked God for leading the organisation to start this lofty initiative as this is the 17th batch graduating with the 18th batch currently in session. He congratulated the graduating students for their success and completion of training, urging them to continue to hold the banner high and perform excellently in the areas of work as they go.
The DHS through his emissary, also appreciated the Executive President of the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC), Rev. Dr. Teke John Ekema, for his unending support and ensuring that the values and standards of this training never drop. The Ministry of Social Affairs was equally commended for being for their valuable support since from inception of this training program until now and their continuous partnership in the following years.
The Executive President, Rev. Dr. Teke John Ekema represented by his Administrative Secretary, Rev. Shanui Frankline congratulated the graduates once more for these achievements and also appreciated the Director of CECPES and his team for their good work and praying for God’s renewal of strength upon them as they take time to train these students to be stewards of social work and Chaplaincy in their future careers. He Informed the graduates that their self-awareness will help them minister without burnout, and emphasised that with social workers and chaplaincy services, change starts with self.
“The world needs your compassion and this time more than ever before. You are people’s people. The difference that you are going to make is the impact placed in the lives of your clients,” the EP’s envoy stated.
Mr. Edwin Chinanga Ndikem, the divisional delegate for social affairs, Mezam expressed joy and gratitude to God as they celebrated the successful completion of this batch of training, and support through all the challenges and personal struggles each of them might have faced on this journey. He told the graduates that their leaving CECPES is not just with knowledge and certificates but more importantly with transformed hearts, deeper understanding and renewed sense of purpose. “You came to CECPES as unconscious incompetent persons and today you are leaving as conscious competent chaplains and social workers determined to become unconscious competent Professionals” he renumerated.
The divisional delegate appreciated the Director of Health Services, Mr. Samuel Ngum and Director of CECPES, Rev. Mbuh Julius for their unwavering support, guidance, encouragement and sacrifice throughout the years of administering this training.
The air was filled with joy and excitement as the graduates performed a sketch showcasing the impact this CECPES training has had in their lives and in their career and a song giving gratitude to God for seeing them through and encouraging others to also enrol in this training. They also gave wonderful insights into what they have learned in small reflections on diverse topics.
Mrs. Mbeng Linda, speaking on the CPE program as a personal therapy for ministry as to be a chaplain one must first work on themselves before they can work on others, providing spiritual care to patients. “The CPE training has shaped me and helped me develop self-awareness and self-work. Thanks to the training I’ve become a people’s people, because Chaplains are people for the people,” she said.
Mrs. Aba Keshia also shed light on social work training and self-work, expressing how much this training has helped her grow personally and realising that social work helps to understand oneself before catering to others in need.
Other graduands like Mrs. Giwe Delphine, Mrs. Winka Patricia and Mrs. Mungu Misparine also shared reflections on social work and field experience, social work and Professional Competence and CPE in relation to Professional Competence, respectively. The graduates were handed their certificates and took an oath and pledged as social workers and Chaplains to perform excellently, to serve with compassion and seek for justice for those who are unable to get it, as well as be a spiritual comfort and support to all clients and persons not only in the hospitals but in the communities as they depart.
