Actualités of Friday, 5 September 2014

Source: Cameroon Tribune

Effective classes to commence in the North

Special measures are being taken so that school becomes effective in all institutions of the North region. Three days to the opening of 2014/2015 academic year, administrative authorities, education officials, parents and students of the three departments of the Mayo-Tsanaga, Mayo-Sava and the Logone and Chari are concerned on how effective commencement of classes will materialize.

Since the Islamist sect Boko Haram has decided to rain attacks on this Cameroonian territory, these three administrative units in the region fear a possible attack using as targets, members of this Nebula. This terrorist cult attack schools and get them burnt as has been happening in the past.

In several Cameroonian border towns with Nigeria, this movement has recruited many followers especially in the young community. In the locality of Goshi (Mayo-Tsanaga), public schools were burnt down by the assailants during the attack on June 8, 2014. At Bargaram, in the District of Hile-Alifa (Logone and Chari), the public school suffered the same fate.

At Kolofata, école publique groupe II was vandalized. Recently, fire was set at the public school of Greya, in the Department of Mayo-Sava. School supplies and the minimum package offered by Unicef were simply reduced to ashes. Kolofata and Mora, thousands of Nigerian refugees and displaced persons fleeing Cameroon attacks were housed in schools in these two cities.

In most of the areas visited, uncertainty looms over the resumption of school and educational activities. According to Governor Midjiyawa Bakari, school in these areas need to be heavily guarded. The prefect of the Logone and Chari, Albert Mekondane Obounou, recommends "a militarization in the Logone and Chari especially in the West of this Department.

Local officials of the Minesec and Minedub advocated the securing of institutions, conveying of teachers, the grouping of certain institutions and the relocation of some of them. They also came to rehabilitate the affected schools and conduct a public awareness campaign to reassure the educational community in these areas affected by the attacks of the sect.