Fotchouli Village risks a blank school year
As pupils and students across Cameroon get set to kick start the 2023/2024 academic year on Monday, September 4, some educational establishments are portraying no signs of welcoming the learners.
At Government Primary School Fotchouli in the Dschang subdivision, most classrooms do not have ceilings, windows, and benches. Other classrooms are still decorated with corn that has been transformed to ceiling.
In some classrooms, it is unclear whether there are broken benches awaiting pupils or it is firewood parked inside.
GPS Fotchouli like many other government schools still has a long way to go in terms of having a befitting structure to accommodate future leaders.
The Chief of Fotchouli village, SM Mathias Temfack said “The challenges of this school weigh on us. It is just in a terrible state. No modern structure, no doors, windows, ceiling, and good benches”.
GPS Fotchouli according to the traditional leader is yet to benefit from support from the state.
” The only thing this school has benefited from the government is its authorization to be created. Nothing else.” SM Mathias Temfack disclosed.
In the village, the Nursery school has been operating in a private home. There are fears it will be a blank school year for many children.
“We are not sure of reopening this year given that the man who owns this house goes on retirement. He said he needed to refurnish his house and stay inside.” The traditional ruler said.
Fotchouli village does not have accessible roads or a solid bridge to permit the children to go to school void of danger.
If the Nursery and Government Primary schools reopen, then the learners will have to crossover trunks of trees to and from school like they have been doing in the previous school years.
