Parents against law saying children must be 12 to access secondary schools

According to the law on orientation of education in Cameroon, under law number 98/004 of April 14, 1988, it is compulsory for a child to be 12 years old before enrolling into form one.

Parents who have their kids below 12 years and have to take their exam say they are against the decision “I am against that decision because if the child is below 12 and is intelligent and ready to take the first school examination then he or she should be allowed. Like in my case my child is 10 years old moving to 11 years and is to take the first school examination this year and I am so much in support” Mme Nzelle Pascaline a parent in Douala.

“To me, the younger the child, the more open the brain is to learn new skills especially in a technological world that we are today. I see just no reason why children should be kept home till a certain age. We have very bright and smart kids who are really brilliant and can challenge even the older ones,” Nembo Jude a father of three opinionates.

While some parents are against the law, others are for the law. Some parents think that when a child is put into school at an early age and sent to secondary education before 12, they get to high school and are confused and sometimes get slowed down.

“There is a certain age that broadens the mind of a child and high school is a tough one as a child needs to start making decisions related to university choices and future,” Essie George a parent in Buea explains.

Some parents say they feel pressured and are now forced to increase the ages of their children so they are made fit to enroll into secondary education.