Teachers Trained for Human Rights Education

Some 40 teachers from 20 secondary schools in Yaounde will henceforth better teach the promotion of human rights both in formal and informal settings, following knowledge they acquired during a one-day workshop in Yaounde, September 26. The workshop was organised by the civil society organisation, Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace (CAMYOSFOP) with the support of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms and the Democracy and Human Rights Fund of the United States of America Embassy in Yaounde.

The Chairman of the National Commission of Human Rights and Freedoms, Dr Divine Chemuta Banda in the opening speech lauded the initiative of the workshop whose aim was to enable teachers better manage Human Rights Clubs in schools and use the pedagogic manual in human rights. Drawing inspiration from John 21: 15 to 17 in the Bible, he enjoined teachers to take care of "God's sheep", insisting that they cannot do that without knowing their human rights which is centred around general interest. He re-echoed that Cameroon has developed the National Programme for the Teaching of Human Rights, which has to be done both in the classrooms and informal settings such as school clubs and other gatherings.

The representative of the US Ambassador, Mikael Cleverley said the priority of the US Embassy was to promote democracy, because it creates avenues for economic prosperity. Talking about the teaching of human rights, he encouraged, "Take ownership and pride. It is a wonderful initiative." Through the programme, he said, students can learn the importance of civic responsibility, be patriotic, fight against corruption, support their leaders and hold the leaders accountable.

Ngalim Eugene, the Executive Director of the workshop organising-body, CAMYOSFOP, said it was intended to give the teachers the knowledge to enable students know their rights and responsibilities, defend them, learn to be patriotic and be ambassadors of human rights promotion. The main target are students from form 1 to 3 as they have a longer time to be in school. The programme, he said, will be extended to other regions of the country.