Schools resume in NW & SW, as Anglophone Teachers suspend strike
In a memo submitted to the NW governor on Saturday 4 February 2017, the leaders of four of the six teacher trade unions that called the strike on 21 November 2017 said after critically reviewing the ongoing strike, they have decided to suspend the strike to enable students, parents and other education stakeholders to have some relief. The leaders however said they could uplift the suspension if government fails to redeem its pledge to address all the grievances of the teachers within the prescribed deadlines.
By Njodzefe Nestor in Bamenda
Better late than never, so says the hackneyed adage. Alas schools will resume today, 6 February 2017 in the two Anglophone regions as from 7.30 am prompt that is, if the announcement made on state radio, CRTV is anything to go by.
Leaders of Anglophone Teacher Trade Unions have finally regained their good sense and humour and have seen the urgent need to call off nay, suspend, the strike action that they called since over two months ago, on 21 November 2016. The announcement of the strike suspension was made following a meeting the teachers had with the governor of the NW region, AdolfeLelel’Afrique, in his up-station office on Saturday 4 February 2017, CRTV-radio announced on Saturday evening.
According to the state broadcaster, the teachers during their meeting with the governor, submitted a memo to the latter in which they explained sufficiently their decision suspending the strike. The teachers noted among other considerations that they decided to suspend the strike because the government had shown good faith by fulfilling all the pre-conditions put forth by the teachers for dialogue to proceed. The also noted that the inter-ministerial adhoc committee set up by government had examined and admitted all the 19 plus 6 points tabled by the teachers during the discussions and government also took the commitment to address the all the issues as presented, and within prescribed deadlines.
The union leaders said they arrived at the decision to suspend the strike “in a true spirit of trade unionism and dialogue” and after haven reexamined the deliberations and proposals of the adhoc committee, the populist perspective that the strike finally assumed and the government crackdown, the arrests and pursuit of some co-leaders, as well as the climate of tension, insecurity, uncertainty and unease that reigns in the Anglophone community among other issues.”
Acknowledging and hailing the steadfastness and commitment of all stakeholders to the education cause in Anglophone Cameroon, the trade union leaders cautioned the government to keep its word and honour her promise to address all the grievances within the stipulated deadlines, failing which they reserve the right to recall the strike.
The union leaders also urged government to release their all those that were arrested in connection to the strike and to henceforth exercise restraint in all its efforts aimed at resolving crisis.
Signatories to the memo including the president of CATTU, TAC, BATTUC and PEATTU, thanked students, teachers, parents and the general public for the enormous sacrifices they have made during the very trying period and encouraged parents to send their children to school as from 7.30 am on Monday 6 February 2017. The leaders assured the parents and students that government had taken all measures to guarantee the security of students, teachers and school campuses.
Even though the leaders of the Catholic Teachers Trade Union, CEWOTU, and SYNES UB-Chapter respectively did not sign the memo, it is hoped that they would, sooner than later, also come back to their good senses and join the majority of their colleagues who have not only suspended the strike but have also acknowledged efforts already made by government and the quality of work done according to the terms of reference and the deadlines fixed by the adhoc committee.
No comments:
Post a Comment