Cameroon Teachers’ Trade Union calls off strike

The Cameroon Teachers’ Trade Union, CATTU, as well as the Teachers’ Association of Cameroon, TAC, have called off a strike action they had earlier announced, but vowed tore-embark on it should government backtrack from any of the resolutions they both worked out.  They warned of “disastrous consequences for the system.”

Both trade unions had called for a school boycott in protest of what they considered the ‘francophonisation’ of the Anglo-Saxon system of education in Cameroon.

However, after a meeting with higher education authorities in Yaounde, they made a near sudden U-turn that has been fueling speculations that they received kick-backs. Tasang Wilfred, Executive Secretary General of CATTU has denied they took any bribe.

According to Tasang, the strike was initially called for two reasons: “First, that Francophone student teachers be barred from practicing on Anglophone students and secondly, the withdrawal of Francophone teachers from Anglophone schools and also the withdrawal of Anglophone teachers from Francophone schools.”

Tassang said after a meeting with a joint delegation of TAC and CATTU, Minister of Higher Education, Jacques Fame Ndongo, took a firm commitment that such decisions would be reversed immediately, reason why the strike action was suspended. He said beginning this week when the student teachers from ENS and ENSET Bambili go on teaching practice, Francophones amongst them will have to go and practice in Francophone schools.

The CATTU chief strongly refuted allegations that their “mouths were watered in Yaounde,” but expressed satisfaction that “what watered their mouths were the successes they scored following their meeting, all in the interest of the students and the Anglo-Saxon system of education.” He was categorical that no amount of money in this country would buy him.

We gathered that other resolutions arrived at included the withdrawal of Francophone lecturers and administrators from the University of Bamenda in Bambili, and for the entry requirement into ENS Bambili and ENSET Bambili and Kumba be certificates issued by the GCE board. Also, they also agreed that all Francophones (those who did the French sub system of education) currently reading English in Bambili be withdrawn, the MCQ system be revised and finally that a special recruitment be made exclusively for Anglophones of the North West and South West regions into ENS and ENSET as is the case with the Northern regions following the creation of ENS Maroua.