CI-NEWS

NW journalists, frontline separatists chime school resumption bells

2020-10-06

No: 537

NW journalists, frontline separatists chime school resumption bells

Journalists in the North West region have decided to take a proactive stance in saving their region from the collapse of the education section. Once an importer of high educational standards, to the admiration of even Francophones, the region has become a shadow of itself in this domain, with most of its youths migrating to Francophone zones to seek ‘half-baked education due the armed conflict in their region.

It is in this connection that some journalists of the Northwest region have begun drumming in their efforts in a bid to ensure an effective school resumption.

For the last 4 years no effective school resumption has been registered. In the remote like urban areas at least 45% of children have either partially seen the classrooms with little follow-up, schools burnt down, teachers kidnapped and or killed and children shabbily taught amongst flying bullets with little or no evaluation.

Being reporters and first hand actors with greater proximity to the truth, the journalists have taken to their privately run social media handles and blogs in a bid to echo an effective school resumption.

Civic lens, an online portal, and The Observer 237, all based in Bamenda, share the views that 4 years is enough time to have been sacrificed with enormous losses. Worth mentioning is the fact that a good number of the population and children of school-going age have relocated. School structures have been abandoned at the mercy of a merciless grass. Cameroon Protestant College Bali, COTECC Bafut, CCAST Bambili all bear witness to tall bahama grasses which continue to swallow the once boldly written inscriptions identifying the colleges.

The Northwest region is said to be the hub of educational exploits throughout the nation with outstanding results recorded. Within the crisis-hit era the once recorded mass influx for this rare gem became perturbed with many rather relocating even at a time when the Anglo-Saxon system of education continues to gain steam.

*Separatists activists join school resumption bandwagon*

Even within the ranks of the separatists, believed to have blown up the Anglophone crisis, there is rude awakening to the damage and underdevelopment the region has suffered as a result of the schools boycott campaign. Erstwhile separatist activists Mark Bareta and Eric Tataw, in separate outings, have condemned any attempt to keep children of school-going age out of the classrooms. Eric Tataw cum Ambazonia activist, in a video making rounds and gaining applause on social media, insists 4 years is so much time to be sacrificed.

Hear him: “We must work with the reality on ground and if our people continually ask for school resumption we have to give them,( loosely translated from a pidgin english excerpt).To him the secession struggle and strugglers must accept the reality of creating a school-free environment. He adds: "In areas where possible, our fighters must encourage school resumption".

Coming at a time when pro-separatists fighters are facing a barrage of criticism for the burning down of public and private structures amongst which are schools, he added: "It is their responsibility to take right decisions".

Found circulating online is a tweet "allegedly" posted by Sissuku Ayuk Tabe, self-styled Ambazonia president as it reiterates the necessity for a school resumption. The tweet reads: "Knowledge is power. As a people we cannot sacrifice the future of our children.....while the Cameroun military.....We must continue to resist them and protect our people especially our children as they return to school come October 5th, 2020.

Mark Bareta, in another outing, insisted the school way is a means of saving the future of the children.

While the school resumption drum keeps beating, it’s essential for the warring actors to create a safe zone for children of school going-age.

It should be noted one of such efforts that foiled the resumption fever was the overzealous reactions of some Nprth West elite who rather politicise the whole idea. Additionally, it is expected separatist actors and fighters should unanimously issue a statement which may boost the school resumption.

In an unconfirmed communiqué found making rounds, a number of provisions and declarations were made by purported separatists activists. Amongst the conditions given was a joint school resumption for lay private and mission schools, no singing of a national anthem amongst others .Its expected with an official message from the concerned actors, a positive response may be registered to this effect.

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NW journalists, frontline separatists chime school resumption bells