Human rights crusaders, education authorities, students and civil society organisations in the South West Region have taken a strong resolution to combat violence within school milieus.
A Declaration against violence on children in schools was adopted on Friday, June 20, 2014 after a one-day information and action day organised by the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms in partnership with Plan Cameroon.
The Buea information and action day was part of activities to commemorate the 2014 edition of the Day of the African Child under the theme “Free quality education, compulsory and suitable for all children in Africa.”
Addressing participants at the information and action day, Mme Kwamu Nana Nee Abunaw Marie, who represented the Chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms, Dr. Chemuta Divine Banda, stated that the day of the African child is an occasion to reflect on the difficulties the children who are vulnerable due to their ages and ignorance face these days and the necessity for all stakeholders to take concrete actions for the protection of children against all sorts of abuses.
She said the Commission is committed to promote the rights of children through human rights education citing the pedagogic manual for the teaching of human rights at primary and secondary levels, the National Human Rights Education Programme which is still in its pilot phase with 50 primary and 80 secondary schools involved amongst other actions by the Commission.
As the 3rd deputy Mayor of Buea, Edward Mosoko put it in his welcome address, violence is a vice thus there is the need for vigilance to ensure that children grow up to be the hope of Cameroon of tomorrow.
According to the representative of the South West Regional Delegate of Secondary Education, Mr. Njikang Gabriel, the magnitude of violence against children in schools in the region has reduced significantly as they had a satisfactory response in the just ending school year.
Most of the children, he said, have realised that schools should be violence-free zones.
Cases such as whipping of students, stabbing of teachers by students, or students stabbing students, handling and use of dangerous objects in schools, bullying at school amongst others constitute some aspects of violence have been reported at the South West Regional office of the Commission.
