By Wambo Emmanuel
The absence of the
Teacher’s Trade Unions during a crucial Crisis Meeting with the Minister of
Secondary Education, Jean-Ernest Massena Ngale Bibehe, has raised a lot of
questions and fears in the minds of Secondary Educational stakeholders of the North
West Region. This meeting which took place at the Government Technical High
School GTHS, Bamenda down town on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 brought together
educational stakeholders from across the North West Region to woe parents to ensure
effective school resumption for the 2017-2018 Academic year in the region.
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| Jean-Ernest Massena Ngale Bibehe |
The Minister however
felt satisfied after he was assured from various speeches presented by educational
stakeholders on their readiness to have schools reopen. Many people present
however found the absence of Teachers Trade Unions intriguing, funny and
embarrassing since the voices of these same teachers had been heard during back
to school crusades.
Minister Ngale Bibehe, was quick to notice the
worries on the people’s faces which he knew was due to the absence of the
Teacher’s Trade Unions in such a crucial meeting. There was as such nothing
left than to inform stakeholders that Teacher’s Trade Union Leaders had had an
earlier meeting with the Minister in Yaoundé. This attempt to explain why secondary
educational stakeholders of the Region were absent did not gel. Accusations and
counter accusations were raised. One of the leaders in attendance who wanted anonymity
said even if there had been a previous meeting with the minister in Yaoundé,
the union leaders were supposed to be present to make their stand on school
resumption heard. Meanwhile others held that the failure of Unions leader to
attend such a meeting could be interpreted as a boycott, while others felt that
their hands were full considering that they had just decided to suspend the
ongoing strike. At the time of publication attempts to meet leaders of the two
main teachers trade unions, PIATTU and CATTU for them to confirm that they had
vowed not to resume classes if their nine months salary areas were not paid failed.
After listening carefully to Presidents of the
Parents Teachers’ Associations, representatives of Proprietors of Lay Private Schools,
the President of North West School Councils, the Spokes Person of North West
Fons’ Union amongst others, Minister Jean-Ernest Massena Ngale Bibehe,
congratulated especially parents who used their time and money to guarantee
security of the children while in schools considering that they were under threats
and intimidations. He assured them that over 400 troops had been deployed to
the North West Region to guarantee the security of children.
He further noted with
satisfaction the fact that students of the region despite threats went ahead to
take part in the FENASCO A games. He said the will of education should move on
collectively and individually and called on the parents to take commitment in
support of the security measure put in place by the government to ensure that
no one attempts to disrupt resumption of schools. He said measures had also
been taken to ensure that teachers organise catch up classes during the
2017—2018 academy year.
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