Secretary: What Place in Society

On the 18th edition of the international day of the secretary, secretary examines roles.

The secretary is looked upon by some members of the public as one with a low IQ or could not do well in general education and ended up in that position. Sometimes too these secretaries are blamed for this because of the roles they play, some do not even know the role they are to place and treat visitors rudely. Sometimes they lack work to do and prefer to seat and gossip or crack ‘egusi.’ It is said to be a woman’s corridor.
But there are some secretaries who know their role and what they have to do and how to receive visitors. Some are actually taught to be secretaries.
Talking to Ekuh Edwin Etube, he is a Secretary who has been taught. He was secretary in the Chad-Cameroon pipeline. He is one of the few men who find themselves in a female world. He was made secretary when he had no knowledge of the profession and he calls it by chance, but was able to survive it. He later went to school ESG, Advance School of Management, Douala were he studied Bilingual Executive Secretary ship.
He explained to CT that as a male secretary it is not easy for a man to work with a man. He said many bosses may prefer a woman because she can smile, dress well, etc. But he added a man is more available in the job than a woman because a woman will need maternity leave which the man would not need.
He said a secretary may be a typist with CAP, or an ordinary secretary with GCE Advanced level, an Executive Secretary with BTS or HND and their role is to type, handle mails, screen phone calls, handle records and organise meetings.
Eko points out some weaknesses in the training which is a handicap to the profession, such as the use of computers. This is a computer age and secretaries must be taught how to use the computer so should not have only basic skills. He said language is another pertinent factor because the secretary should be bilingual. With these loopholes he said a graduate is forced to go to a documentation centre to learn computer or linguistic centre to study which ever language is lacking.
Eko is presenting member and Secretary General of the Cameroon Federation of Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, who are presently working towards celebrating the International World Secretaries Day. On the 16th of April, will be another edition of the international day of the Secretary and it will be the 18th edition. Activities marking the day have already begun with training seminars and giving of gifts.
EFFA TAMBENKONGHO
Edwin Eko: In a man in female corridor