“The transformation of education begins with teachers” is the theme for world teachers’ day 2022 to be celebrated this Wednesday October 5.
This day is celebrated yearly in Cameroon and across the globe to honour teachers and acknowledge their contribution to the development of the society.
Unfortunately, in President Paul Biya’s country for instance, these nation builders are poorly treated and even cheated by state authorities.
Their working conditions are one of the most deplorable in the country. Series of media pleas and letters addressed to the Yaounde D with most of them obliged to teach uner horrible circumstances.
You can read one of such stories here: GHS Mouotourwa students have to sit on floor to learn
Some of these teachers are forced to teach in very remote villages where schools lack good infrastructures, toilets, a complete staff, didactic materials, good roads, and other basic social amenities.
GTHS Mbangassina without administrative block and water
Teachers posted in such sorry state of schools only survive with the help of the local population. Other teachers are abandoned and even are forced to teach in war-torn zones like the North West, South West and Far North regions. Government authorities go as far as issuing threats to the teachers if the fear of death forces them to run away from their duty stations. This is common in the English-speaking regions where Ambazonia fighters have been enforcing a school boycott. Some teachers have been beheaded, kidnapped, tortured and shot. The more “fortunate” ones have only received death threats. Sadly enough, authorities who order them to be present in school on ghost town days called for by armed separatists are not in the field themselves when things go wrong.
After braving the odds and even risking their lives, the teachers are not paid what they deserve.
Last academic year, primary and secondary school teachers in Cameroon organized an indefinite strike refusing to teach until all of their salaries, bonuses and allowances among others summing up to F CFA 181 billion were paid.
Surprisingly, the Biya administration has been unable to pay this amount until now although ministers still fill their homes with billions belonging to the state everyday. But that’s Cameroon for you – a country where the guilty move freely and dictate laws while the innocent civilians are oppressed, captured and jailed for merely fighting for their rights and denouncing evil deeds.
