Ngwang Roland, NW Regional Delegate of Secondary Education
In what many have described as a tear provoking presentation, the Regional Delegate of Secondary Education, Ngwang Roland, has presented the state of affairs of secondary education in the region before and during the crisis to councilors of the NW Regional Assembly.
The Delegate noted that enrollment in secondary schools dropped from 220,000 students in 2016 to 24,350 students in 2019. The number of operational schools dropped from 558 in 2016 to 170 today. Of the 170 schools operational today, just 43,640 students are in class.
This pathetic situation has further been worsen by the kidnapped, torture and even killing of teachers. The Delegate lamented that he had to gather the skull of a teacher that was planted at Ngeng Junction. This academic year, some 87 teachers have been kidnapped.
Some statistics presented
The students themselves he says have not been left out. 287 of them were kidnapped in 2018 while 29 of them have fallen in the hands of armed fighters this year.
Schools are mostly functional in the urban centres of the various divisions while in 2018, a Division like Ngoketunjia had all schools shutdown.
The closure of schools, the kidnapping of teachers and students have forced 6,839 teachers to be out of work this academic year. These teachers collect a colossal 26 Billion as salaries for no work done over a period of 12 months.
In the North west region, formerly an educational Eldorado, still observes ghost town on mondays, keeping these students at home. At times it goes on for days in what is termed lockdowns. Of the 1584 regular hours, 360 hours are being lost to ghost towns. This make adequate learning difficult.
Councilors following deliberations with wrapt attention
Schools became a target in 2016 at the wake of the anglophone crisis with teachers calling for reforms in the educational sector. Classes were disrupted for months with teachers syndicates barring teachers from accessing the classroom.
Those requesting for the independence of Southern Cameroon coerced some students that the GCE written in 2017 will not be recognised. This was never the case. And in a bit to get back to the classroom, parents had to take the bull by the horn to send their kids to school.
North West Secondary Education Delegate told the councilors that "we will be judged not by what we are but what our children will become." he called on the assembly to better the infrastructures of the various schools the region has.
As a house that can influence policy, the Delegate did not mince words when he called for a change in the curriculum. He says the educational curriculum needs major improvements with kids who can become job creators and not job seekers. "it baffles me that the kids we said are not good in school are the ones who fix our cars, we make our beds, who transport us etc. We must ensure that we take care of their educational well being."
The Delegate has charged the house to be at the forefront in educational restructuring in the region
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
0 Comments