Schools
resume in SW after Ambazonia scare
By Doh
Bertrand Nua in Kumba
There was
quite an impressive turnout in schools in towns all over the South West region
Tuesday, after the Ambazonia scare that sent pupils and students abandoning
classes and running helter-skelter for safety on Monday. Parents had stormed
schools and taken their children home because of the scare.
But administrative authorities
of the region reassured the parents who had decided to keep their children at
home that the scare was a false alarm after all and that there was no such
thing as a planned onslaught on schools by Ambazonia Odeshi hit men.
Different school actors resumed
activities Tuesday following rumours that spread like bush fire in the
harmattan throughout Fako division and parts of the SW region to the effect
that Ambazonia Odeshi fighters had entered some schools and disrupted teaching
and learning.
At the GHS Muea that our
reporters visited, school activities were back to normal Tuesday and the
turnout was impressive.
“Not all the students came back
today; the resumption after the Ambazonia scare is a little bit timid. Just
about 400 students have turned out today for a school of over 1000. However, we
hope the others will come when they notice that there was no cause for alarm
and that things have returned to normal in schools,” said Njoh Hans, Principal
of GHS Muea.
There were even more students at
the Summerset Bilingual College Molyko, Buea where a crisis meeting was held
between students of examination classes and the school’s officials.
“We called this crisis meeting
to reassure both the students and teachers that there was nothing to fear and
that they should not heed to distractions by whosoever. We urged them to
concentrate on their studies as examinations will not take account of the
period lost,” said Waindim Rudolf, Summerset Principal.
For his part, the regional
delegate of Secondary Education for the SW also reassured that all had returned
to normalcy at schools in the region.
“All the schools have resumed
full fledge. Public and private schools are also functioning normally. Not all
the students may have come today, but we are optimistic they will come as it is
now clear there was nothing to fear,” said SW Delegate Makwe Victor Yewoh, who
said some schools in the region are presently writing pre-mock examinations.
Taking his responsibilities
squarely, SW governor, Okalia Bilai issued a statement reassuring the
population of security measures put in place. The governor enjoined all and
sundry to continue with their normal activities for the Odeshi scare was just a
false alarm after all.
Like his boss in Buea, the SDO
of Meme, Chamberlain Ntou’Ndong, also issued a release reassuring the
population of security measures and a return of calm in his division of
command.
“The Senior Divisional Officer
for Meme Division has the honour to inform the entire population of Meme, that
following false information circulating through the social media by unknown
persons, requesting parents in Meme Division to withdraw their children in
school from today the 15th of January 2018 onwards, a situation which has
created general fear and panic amongst the population, the SDO reassures the
entire population to remain calm and also call on parents to continue to send
their children to school, because necessary measures have been taken by the State
to ensure the security of schools, teachers and students in particular,”
Ntou’Ndong said, adding that “the population should be vigilant and abstain
themselves from unlawful individuals who are against peace, unity and security
of persons and state institutions.”
Despite the SDO’s assurances
Tuesday, many parents were still skeptical about sending their children to
school.
The rumour thus caused a drop in
school attendance in almost all major towns in the SW including Buea, Limbe,
Tiko, Muyuka, Ekona and Kumba.
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