Illegal driving schools face national crackdown

They operate in private homes and present candidates for examination through legal schools.

The proliferation of illegal driving schools in the port city of Douala is disturbing. Some driving schools that do not fulfil the 28 April, 2000 conditions regulating the sector operate in private homes.

As to how the illegal driving schools present candidates for driving test, a staff of one of the renowned driving schools in the region said they register candidates through some of the 167 legal driving schools in the region.

According to Littoral’s Regional Delegate of Transport, Pamela Ayuketah, the Minister of Transport gave a one-year period of grace to schools operating illegally. Once the deadline expires, the delegate said, a crackdown will be the next step.

Those operating in private homes and those who have not finished their legalisation process will be shutdown. Apart from providing documents including certificate of non conviction, complete file of two teachers for practicals and a list of already acquired didactic material, for authorisation to operate, driving school vehicles must have two pedals; one for student and the other for teacher, obtain an insurance cover and carryout road worthiness check every three months.

In another development, the driving school strike action that saw the boycott of last May’s exams session, has been lifted. According to Pamela Ayuketah, some 3,496 candidates sat the June session as opposed to 87 during last session. The June examination session that ended on July 1st, was conducted in a calm and serene atmosphere.