CI-NEWS

New measures afoot for school return in SW.

2019-09-01

No: 444

New measures afoot for school return in SW.

To protect school campuses, teachers, pupils and students for school resumption on September 2, 2019, Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai has ordained a Regional Order setting up an Ad Hoc Committee to ensure a smooth take-off for learning in the South West Region.

The new dispensation is directed to ward off a three-year running menace against school-going in the area by separatist armed groups.

The Regional Order charted the various members involved in five sub-committees notably for general coordination, action and reporting. In the same vein, the Governor instructed in article three of his Order that the six Senior Divisional Officers of the South West Region must, in their various spheres, set up similar committees to ensure that school return happens in all areas free of any snag.

As a measure of follow-up, the order stipulated that the various committees should tender weekly accounts to the Governor’s office as to the effectiveness of school reopening. Members of the different committees are chiefly Regional Delegates, Regional Service heads, officials of the forces of law and order, and Administrators (executive officers). In addition to committee work, the parents have been advised to remain close to their children and report any incidents.

Addressing an urgent meeting of education stakeholders at the Buea Council hall last 22 August, 2019 the Governor was emphatic that the various committees must enable the cleaning of school premises, monitor effective teaching and learning, and act like proprietors of the institutions under their committee charge. The Chief Executive of the Region also instructed school heads and Parent-Teacher-Associations to suspend levies to enable effective take-off for the school year. South West Regional School authorities of basic, secondary and vocational education joined the Governor and his command staff to vouch for an effective 2019-2020 school year on the ground unlike in the past three years when some 80 percent of pupils and students fled the Region to attend school elsewhere due to violence - killings, maiming, abduction and kidnaps.

Ndian

The Regional Governor’s action for school resumption was quickly relayed in Mundemba, capital of Ndian Division, by the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Ndian, Nwafua Lawrence Forwang, who assembled stakeholders to plan school resumption without any drawback come September 2.

The SDO urged school heads not to send away any pupil or student for whatever fees or uniform at this resumption. He discussed modalities for parents to accompany their children to school and remain on the watch-out against any attempts to disturb schools.

Lebialem

In his Prefectural Order of 19 August 2019, largely circulated on the social media, the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Lebialem, Etta Mbokaya Ashu, set Thursday, 22 August as day of general cleanup campaign anticipating school resumption on 2 September. The SDO urged the Divisional Officers under his command to ensure an extensive cleaning of the area and instructed Mayors to provide the means for the exercise.

Meanwhile, in an outdoor radio broadcast chaired by Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai at the Regional Station of CRTV-Buea, Dr.Hannah Mbua, South West Regional Delegate for Secondary Education, reported having mobilized staff to be ready for September 2nd. Ewonken Rita, representing the Regional Delegate for Basic Education, told the audience that the doors of all their schools were open with no preconditions for registration of pupils this time.

Atosoh John, Regional Delegate for Vocational Training. assured that necessary measures had been taken for their sector to resume rather on October 1st 2019.

A worrisome picture of last year’s schooling situation was painted in the Region with Lebialem occupying the darkest spot. It was reported that armed groups in the area succeeded to prevent all schools from functioning in their three Subdivisions.

School needs in markets

Despite the challenges, the South West Region recorded a remarkable success in end-of-course examinations with 62.76% success for 17.969 candidates who sat the GCE Ordinary and Advanced Levels, BEPC and Baccalaureat exams. Amid the general mobilization for school return, materials, books and uniforms are still being timidly exposed in markets especially in peripheral areas. However, the Soppo and Muea markets championed the sale of school material last weekend in Buea uncovering school needs at shop counters, tailor workshops and hawking bags.

Culled from Cameroon Tribune

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New measures afoot for school return in SW.