North West officials wage war against community schools and absentee teachers
“The community institutions are illegal schools and we have instructed administrative authorities to close them across the region and sanction accordingly those that fail to keep to the instructions of the Republic ” North West governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique.
For this new academic year, a total of 105 thousand students are expected in secondary schools across the region, with 331 schools opened. While presenting the situation of secondary education at a coordination meeting for the maintenance of law and order in Bamenda on August 24, 2023 the regional delegate for secondary education Roland Ngwang noted that for the 2022/2023 academic year, there was a great improvement in both results and enrollment “In 2019, we had about 27000 kids in schools across the region whereas before the crisis in 2016, we could boast of over 220 thousand kids in schools… Nonetheless we had 73320 children in the just ended school year” In the official exams, the North West was 4th at national level in the GCE “O” level and 1st in the GCE “A” level.
He decried attacks on teachers and students which has left many in fear “for the 2022/2023 academic year, 58 teachers were attacked and 26 killed… School children are attacked, and killed as well… Something needs to be done”
At the basic education level, 1,802 teachers were in classrooms, 35,748 children enrolled in 633 functional nursery schools for the 2022/2023 academic year. The regional delegate for basic education Wilfred Wambeng Ndong says enrollment was satisfactory especially that of IDPs “we had just 75,106 enrolled Internally Displaced Pupils during the 2022/2023 academic year… Which is good because it is a sign that displaced people are returning to their communities as life gradually returns to normal”
On their part, Senior Divisional Officers reported several cases of absenteeism of teachers and some school principals who advance, insecurity but continue receiving their monthly wage from government. In reaction, governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique said “the disciplinary board will sit and sanction all teachers who do not show up at their duty posts…” Appealing on all local authorities to denounce persons concerned while SDOs should take every measures for their salaries to be suspended.
The meeting ended with security officials, administrative authorities and all, promising to put in their best for a better academic year in the North West region
