Cameroon:Ministers, Governors Talking Teachers Into Returning Into Classrooms

The Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reform, Joseph LE has explained government’s good faith in  handling the grievances posed by teachers’ trade unions in particular and the problems faced by teachers in the country as a whole.

Speaking last Thursday in Buea during a working visit, Mr LE explained the new procedures for processing integration files of graduates of Teacher Training Colleges.

During a working session with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea and officials of the Higher Technical Teacher’s Training College, ENSET Kumba and the Governor of the South West Region LE said over 400 teachers awaiting integration at ENSET Kumba can now heave a sigh of relieve as time and resources will now be saved with the dematerialisation and simplification of the integration process.

“We have been instructed to make sure so that when a young man is appointed somewhere to teach somewhere, he should immediately begin to have his salaries,” LE said.

“The graduates will constitute only one file. They won’t longertake the files to Yaounde. The will present it at the Regional Delegation of Public Service in Buea where they will be digitised so that after the training, one, two or three months, they should have their salaries,” he said.

Meanwhile, Governors of some Regions have been active on the field explaining to the striking teachers government’s intention to keep to its promises of looking critically into their problems.

In the Littoral Region, Governor Samuel Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua called on teachers to go back into the classrooms while waiting for the implementation of the measures ordered by the Head of State.

Governor Ivaha Diboua was speaking during an in camera meeting Thursday, March 17 with the Littoral Regional Delegates of Secondary and Basic Education, Principals, PTA presidents, and heads of teachers’ trade unions.

His message was echoed by Guillaume Ernest, Littoral Regional Delegate for Secondary Education.

“The President of the Republic has given instructions to the government to do everything so that at the end of this month, the salaries should be paid entirely and that the teachers who have not had their integration should be taken into consideration and other measures will be fulfilled in the coming months,” the Regional Delegate told the press.

“But on the field, some of the teachers are not willing to go back to classes. That is why the governor called PTA, trade unions, principals and other persons to discuss,” he said.

“We call on the teachers to go back to class. We just have few days to the end of the month to see the reality, what has been promised.”

Meanwhile, the Governor of the Centre Region, Naseri Paul Bea also met with some principals of some Government Secondary Schools from the 10 Divisions that make up the Division and presented concrete measures put in place to bring lasting solutions to their grievances.

“The teachers should go to the classes and teach,” Governor Naseri said.

“They will be paid and all their demands will be looked into progressively. Other problems which they have put forward will be forwarded to hierarchy.”

The school authorities promised to give a listening ear to the promises made by the government.

The Governor of the East Region, Gregoire Mvongo,for his also met with heads of some government schools in the Region and asked them to return to classes and teach.