On the first week of school resumption, 12,494 students answered present across the North West region, according to the Regional Delegate of Secondary Education, Mbaijong Ezekiel. He shared this information during the opening of the 14th ordinary session of the North West Regional Assembly on July 12, 2024.
Mbaijong reported that attendance varied significantly among the region's Divisions, with the highest numbers in Donga Mantung Division, where over 7,000 students were actively engaged in classes. In stark contrast, only two students were present in the Ngoketunjia Division during the same period. Alarmingly, Momo Division recorded no student attendance at all, raising concerns among Regional Assembly members about the need for collaborative efforts to improve school attendance.
"The current lockdown presents a serious challenge," Mbaijong noted, yet he expressed hope for a positive change in the coming days. He emphasized the goal of surpassing last year's enrollment of 84,366 students.
"We aspire for all students to follow their peers in other regions and return to school. It is our mission to ensure that every child has access to education at an affordable rate. The Minister of Secondary Education has set a maximum PTA fee of 25,000 Francs for any institution," he informed the Assembly members.
Members of the North West Regional Executive Council
To address the challenges faced by schools in difficult areas, Mbaijong explained that efforts are underway to group schools, allowing students in red zones better access to their teachers.
The North West Regional Assembly has successfully monitored the attendance of 563 students, enabling them to sit for their end-of-course examinations, with 406 achieving passing grades. Additionally, 1,599 vulnerable students received assistance, and 1,420 were promoted to their next classes.
Statistics of school attending children
The Assembly has also constructed classrooms and laboratories to enhance the learning environment in various schools across the region.
Members of the House of Divisional Representatives
These encouraging statistics emerge amidst a period of lockdown imposed by pro-separatist fighters in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. While several diplomats, including the Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon, have condemned the use of education as a political bargaining chip, North West Governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique used the session's opening to rally support for back-to-school initiatives, urging the community to reject the calls for school boycotts.
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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