Japan constructs over 1,500 classrooms in Cameroon

The school construction and equipment programme lasted 18 years and cost FCFA 57.6 billion.

The Japanese government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, constructed 1,533 classrooms and 152 latrine blocks worth FCFA 57.6 billion in 122 Government Primary Schools in all 10 regions of the country between 1997 and 2014.

A breakdown of the school assistance programme shows that the Centre Region got 481 classrooms, Littoral, 195, West, 163, South West, 110 and South 112. On the other hand, the Far North Region received 74 classrooms, North, 64, Adamawa, 66, East, 66 and North West, 202.

Officials of the Ministry of Basic Education, MINEDUB, made the disclosure in Yaounde on Friday, July 10, 2015, at the signing of a reimbursement agreement of FCFA 132.2 million leftover funds from the fifth phase of the project in the North West Region that cost about FCFA 5 billion.

The Minister of Basic Education, Youssouf Adidja Alim, signed for government, while Mrs. Takagi Rumiko, Head of Phase 5 of the Japan Grant Project, did so for her country.

The North West, which was the last of the 10 regions to receive gifts of Japanese constructed and equipped classrooms, saw the building of 202 classrooms and 24 latrine blocks in 18 Government Primary Schools between 2012 and 2014. The public schools are in Mezam, Boyo and Ngoketunjia Divisions.

The reimbursement was made possible by a clause in the July 9, 2011 agreement between MINEDUB and JICA that if about 3 per cent of the overall project cost was left at the end of implementation in the North West Region, JICA will return it to Cameroon through the Autonomous Sinking Fund, CAA.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Basic Education, Youssouf Adidja Alim, described the act of returning leftover project funds to government as “a strong signal to Cameroon and unprecedented.” She promised that the money will be put to good use after receiving proposals from MINEDUB’s Technical Department.