Anglophone Problem: Secondary Education Minister Meets Teachers, Parents, Others in Bamenda

Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle

 Secondary Education Minister Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe has called on teachers, parents, principals and school proprietors to make sure that schools reopen on Monday. Talking to the various stakeholders in two separate meetings at the Regional Delegation of Secondary Education yesterday, Minister Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bihehe pleaded that if schools don't resume on Monday, UNESCO will declare 2016/2017 academic year, a blank year. He said the social and economic consequences of a blank year could be enormous on the children, community, education family and everyone. To him, principals and teachers should make sure that schools reopen on Monday while the dialogue is going on. He also revealed that the deployment of teachers as requested by the striking teachers. He made the plea to the principals after another unfruitful meeting with Anglophone Teachers Trade union leaders and the national President of the Union of parent teacher associations in a bid to get solutions to the ongoing strike action called by teachers. In a Press Release after meeting the minister, Anglophone Teacher trade union states that that the presidential commission be put in place ro quickly begin serious work that will enhance pacification of the aggrieved populations. Besides, "union leaders also acknowledge and sincerely thank H. E The Minister of Secondary Education whose pro-active approach and practical steps taken have brought about the much demanded redeployment of teachers to classrooms where their competence pre-disposes them to operate.  In the release trade union leaders also prayed that the chairman of the ad-hoc committee to hasten the sitting of this committee so as to pave the way for concrete solutions to the other burning issues raised, so that the ice in place can be broken.

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