The
Minister of Forestry and Wildlife Philip
Ngole Ngwese and Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Finance in charge of
Budgets Elung Paul Che have thrown their weights behind the push by Government Authorities
to make sure the second Term of the 2016-2017 Academic year kicks off hitch
free. This took place on Saturday January 8, 2017 at the Women Empowerment
Center in Bangem in the Southwest Region.
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| Philip Ngole Ngwese |
Minister Philip Ngole Ngwese summed up his message in the following words;
We are here today to thank the Education
Community of Kupe Muanenguba for all the efforts they have been putting in to
make sure that schools go on. They have been steadfast in the face of all odds.
Despite the unrests in the Northwest and Southwest Regions, schools have been
going on normally in Kupe Manenguba Division. I call on them not to relent
despite all threats on Social Media. Because no matter the differences we may
be having and how strong the points that we present may be, the education of
our children cannot be compromised. By we,I mean Teachers Trade Unions and
Lawyers Associations.The government through the number one authority in this
country has acknowledged that there are problems and has put in place
appropriate measures for dialogue. Anyone with things to say should simply make
use of the forum created already and abstain from violence and threats. This in
a nutshell is the message we brought here today. I am not by this saying that
everything on Social media is propaganda. We should be capable of
distinguishing between truth and propaganda on social media. We simply came to
have a frank discussion with our brothers of Kupemanguba and to tell them that
the education of our children cannot be compromised for whatever reason. We met
today with the stakeholders of the Educational Sector, administrators, Forces
of Law and Order, and Traditional Rulers and we are all agreed that the
children should go to school come Monday, January 9, 2017.
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| Elung Paul Che |
Minister Elung Paul Che on his part explained that the Bangem
rendezvous comes against a backdrop of the creation of an Adhoc Committee to have
dialogue with the Teachers Credit Unions and the Lawyers Associations. This he
explained will permit all their demands to be put on the table for discussions
and subsequent solutions.
Alluding to the 2016, December 31st speech of
President Paul Biya, Elung Paul Che said President Biya acknowledged the
existence of all these problems and promised to look into each and every one of
them but not at the detriment of the unity of the state.
 |
| Chief Ekwoge Joseph of Ngusi |
Among the Traditional leaders of Kupemanguba present, this
reporter caught up with Chief Ekwoge Joseph of Ngusi, President of the Nguti Chiefs
Conference who explained that traditional rulers in Kupemanenguba were in
support of the bid to see that children return to school on Monday January 9,
2017. He said after listening to the explanations of Ministers Philip Ngole Ngwese
and Elung Paul Che, they felt there was no good reason not to support them. We are ready for Schools to reopen on
Monday, he said.
Meantime, Cecilia Dione, the Principal of Government
Secondary School G.S.S. Ngobenyoe said they were completely in support of schools
reopening on Monday, January 9, 2017.
Amidst this apparently successful encounter, beneath the
surface were signs of some discontent as some teachers who declined identifying
themselves said let them take the money,
Monday will speak.
 |
| Principals line up to receive stipends |
Though this
reporter could not get this angry teacher to speak, it was understood that his anger came to the surface when it was
declared that stipends or perdiems as
it is locally referred to had been kept only for Principals, Presidents of
Parent Teacher Associations, head Teachers of Primary Schools, Traditional
leaders amongst others, he felt frustrated and angered for being kept out from among
those who were receiving something from the money that was being dolled out.
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