Communiqué on Headcount
A Communiqué released on April 23rd 2021 describing a headcount excercise for teachers of the Secondary Education, Northwest region has pushed teachers practicing in the Northwest to emmerge and answer present in their different schools, irrespective of the insecurity challenges on the ground.
"We have been here since Monday and some of us will have to travel back to the schools where we teach, for one or two requirements that may be needed in this exercise. The procedure is quite slow and it's very tiring" A teacher tells his experience.
The trending insecurity has forced hundreds of these teachers out of their teaching zones and others even flee from their homes to safer places in other regions. This is one of the major reasons why there is a lapse in the educational sector and other institutions still remain close.
Teachers cue up at Regional Delegation of Secondary Education (NW)
Some other observers at Upstation Bamenda were of the opinion that, the headcount exercise is a good measure taken by government, for teachers to return to their place of work.
"Most of these teachers have stayed out for a long time, some have been posted and don't even know how their schools look like. Yet they cue up at banks to recieve their pay and the younger generation suffers" A retired teacher shared his opinion.
It is inline with the release that government is conducting a headcount to know the number of teachers that have travelled out of the country or moved out of their respective places of duty and also to take note of those available and ready to carry on with their duties.
Some Teachers sit on the lawn arround the Regional Delegation
The armed conflict in the Northwest region has caused many to do less work, yet recieve salaries. Most teachers, just like some other civil servants have abandoned duty, due to the security situation in their area of work at the deathriment of the local population they ought to serve.
View of the streets on a Normal day in Bamenda
Seperatists fighters have prevented most government schools to go operational in most areas in the Northwest region, especially in the suburbs but for confessional institutions recording a huge number on a daily basis.
The situation has greatly affected these teachers who now rely on government to be understanding with the current situation in crisis hit zones. Though some teachers can travel to teach and return to their famillies, the expenses has caused some of them to file in for transfer.
By Ndefru Mélanie
678415536