CEF battle for valorisation of Anglophone education

Speaking in Bamenda on Saturday May 28, 2016, the Executive Secretary of the Cameroon Teachers Trade Union, CATTU, in what sounded like surrendering or laying down of arms, presented the newly created Cameroon Education Forum, CEF, as the most competent body that can carry forward the battle for the valorization of the Anglophone Education sub-system.

Addressing a press briefing that followed the launching of CEF, Tasang Wilfred noted that there are certain places like meeting Higher Education Minister that they did not have it easy but with the likes Hon. Tasi Ntang Lucas, Ntoko Ntube Wilfred and Azong Wara (former Registra of the GCE board) leaders of CEF, they have had access to those places.

Consequently he noted “their ages command some respect and we think that they can better lead us.” The "us" here he meant other trade unions and associations like TAC (Teachers Association of Cameroon) Association of Retired Educators of Cameroon AREC, PEATU, other civil society association.

In what looked like deciding the title of the future film “Forward ever; backward never” or the remaking of “no retreat no surrender” Hon Tasi Ntang and Azong Wara pledged their readiness to take the battle to any length noting that their ages were good enough to die for any course they deem relevant for the future generation with education being no exception.

Approved by a Fako Prefectoral order in November 2015, Cameroon Education Forum CEF has as main objective to “asses the quality and performance of the Anglophone Sub-system of education…. especially in the light of the implementation of certain provisions of the 1998 Education law, and to make necessary recommendations in view of more efficient and effective education sub-system.”

Launching the forum in Bamenda, participants approved the decision of CEF to “address a memorandum to the Prime Minister, Head of Government on the creation of two separate Education Councils or Boards- one for the Anglophone sub-system of education and the other for the Francophone sub-system of education as stipulated by law No 98/004 dated April 14, 1998, endorsed by the President of the Republic of the Republic of Cameroon and in keeping with Our National option for biculturalism.”

citing section 16 of the said law, a press statement issued at the end of the launching explained that “the spirit of the law was that, each of these two sub-systems of education should co-exist without one interfering with or smoldering or strangling the other.”

According to CEF, everyone should throw weight behind the PM destined Memorandum so as to bring to fruition the Anglophone Education Council provided by Law.