We must say no to terrorism and ghost town calls, terrorize the terrorists
– Governor Okalia Bilai,
By Jude MBAKU
In a decisive move to guarantee a successful 2024/2025 academic year, Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai of the Southwest convened a preparatory meeting today at his office conference hall. The session brought together key stakeholders from the education sector, including the Senior Divisional Officers for Fako, Meme, and Lebialem, the Attorney General, regional assembly leaders, and security officials.
The meeting aimed to address issues such as security, teacher absenteeism, and infrastructure readiness. Governor Okalia Bilai emphasized the importance of fostering a safe and conducive learning environment amid ongoing challenges.
“Our top priority is ensuring that schools are prepared to welcome students safely and efficiently,” he stated.
He further highlighted that effective education is vital for equipping children with the skills necessary for their futures. Throughout the meeting, the governor called on local officials and traditional leaders to unite the community against violence and school boycotts.
“We must say no to terrorism and ghost town calls,” he urged, advocating for a collective effort to “terrorize the terrorists” by denouncing their actions and eliminating their presence in the community.
The Regional Delegates for Basic and Secondary Education, Elangwe Rose Bume also provided some statistics, revealing that of the 3,564 schools in the region, only 1,847 are functional. The governor instructed that each subdivision must have at least two operational schools to ensure access to education for all children.
The administrator noted that the call for school resumption earlier made by the Apostolic Nuncio for Cameroon and Equitorial Guinea, H.E Jose Avelino Bettencourt sets a precedence for the Roman Catholic Bishops in the region and their priests to use the pulpits in speaking to the consciences of anti-school proponents.
At the end of the meeting, several recommendations were made, including the commitment to maintain cleanliness on campuses, enhance security, and report suspicious activities. These measures are designed to prevent calls for lockdowns and ensure a smooth academic year ahead for the South-West Region.
Schools in Cameroon are expected to start on September 9th, 2024. Ambazonian separatist fighters had announced a lockdown for one month, a routine they do every new school year. The action has yielded no fruit so far as its disaster are visible on over 600,000 learners who had stopped schooling in these regions (UNICEF 2022)
