Our children must go to school – NW parents

Parents and other education stakeholders in the NW region have vowed that nothing will stop their children from going to school this academic year. They took the firm commitment in Bamenda, during separate audiences they had with the visiting minister of secondary education, Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe.

                The minister reportedly met with representatives of PTAs, proprietors of denominational and lay private institutions, council chairpersons of schools, traditional authorities, opinion leaders and representatives of teachers’ trade unions.

                After the discussions the representatives of parents said publicly that nothing will stop the resumption of schools in the NW regions.

“We the parents of children studying in the NW region are waiting for the D-day Monday 4 September to take our children to school unconditionally. This is because we have endured a lot and can no longer support the weight of keeping our children at home when other children are going to school. Our children cannot lose two academic years; it is unacceptable, the education of our children cannot be compromised,” said Ndikum Peter, representative of the association of parents of students in NW.

                For their part, education authorities have also expressed their readiness to open the doors of their schools come 4 September. But they say government should assist them in providing an enabling environment for studies.

                As for Tambeng Simon, chairman of a school board, he simply urged government to implement fully the resolutions of the dialogue between teachers’ unions and the inter-ministerial adhoc committee. He also appealed to the head of state to come out of his bunker and address the nation and if possible grant general amnesty to all those in detention, if only to pacify the angry masses in NW and SW.

                Mission schools have also pledged their readiness to finally open their gates, but they say the need to pay 8 months of salary arrears owed to their teachers.

                 “Our teachers have not been paid for close to 8 months. So what are we going to do with them? They are humans; they need to be comfortable if they must come to work. So though we are ready just like the teachers, we need to provide them their due to make them story enough for work,” said Father Augustine Nkwain, Catholic Education Secretary for NW.

                The Secondary education minister is expected to provide answers to all these demands before school resume next Monday.