-Tasked to restore school nolmacy
By Ikome Christie-Noella Eposi in Buea
The South West Region has a new face at the helm of secondary education. Dr. Njie Martin Esongo, who until recently, served as Divisional Delegate of Secondary Education for Fako, has officially taken over as Regional Delegate, inheriting both the hopes and the heavy challenges of a sector battered by years of crisis.
The symbolic handover ceremony which held on Thursday, August 14, 2025, came with a stern directive from the Governor of the South West, Bernard Okalia Bilai, represented by his Secretary General. The Governor’s message was clear: the “no school” phenomenon that has plagued the region since the outbreak of the Anglophone Crisis must come to an end under Dr. Esongo’s stewardship. “Children should no longer stay home on Mondays. There is nothing like substituting Saturdays for Mondays,” the Governor’s representative insisted, urging the new Delegate to work with his collaborators to restore full academic normalcy.
With the 2025–2026 school year scheduled to begin on September 8, the task ahead is urgent. Beyond the academic stakes, the start of the school year coincides with heightened political activity, as the nation prepares for Presidential Election in just two months. “It is incumbent on you, as we hand these keys to you, to effectively kick-start the year,” the Governor’s representative told the new Delegate, while calling on the staff of the Regional Delegation and the wider secondary education community to rally behind him.
– Dr. Njie Esongo, a seasoned administrator
Dr. Essongo’s appointment as Regional Delegate was confirmed on August 11, 2025, by a Ministerial Order signed by Prof. Nalova Lyonga, Minister of Secondary Education. He replaces Dr. Hannah Etonde Mbua, who piloted the Delegation for the past seven years, guiding it through the most turbulent period in its recent history.
A career educationist, Dr. Esongo brings to the role extensive experience gained from serving as Divisional Delegate for Fako since 2018, a period during which he worked closely with Dr. Mbua.
In his first address as Regional Delegate, he pledged an unwavering commitment to diligence. “I want to assure you that you can expect three things from me: hard work, hard work, and hard work,” he declared, urging his colleagues to put aside personal differences and focus on their shared duty. “You will be judged by your works and nothing else.”
-Outgoing delegate reflects on seven challenging years
For Dr. Mbua, the ceremony was an emotional farewell, after steering the Regional Delegation through unprecedented difficulties. Taking office in 2018, barely a year into what is now known as the Anglophone Crisis, she faced a region where schools had become targets of separatist threats and violence.
At the height of the crisis, kidnappings of teachers and students were rampant, while the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in late 2018 that nearly 80% of schools across the North West and South West were shut down, leaving more than 600,000 learners without access to education. “It was a privilege to head the activities of Secondary Education in this region,” Dr. Mbua said. “It was a good opportunity, but it was very challenging.”
Despite the hurdles, she praised her staff for their dedication to educating “the leaders of tomorrow,” insisting that any successes achieved during her tenure were the product of teamwork. She also expressed confidence in her successor, whom she has known since his early days as Principal of Government High School Bokwango. “I entreat you all to stay united, think together, and let no one be too clever to sow seeds of disharmony among you,” she advised the education community.
-Looking ahead
Officials clarified that Thursday’s event was not an official installation, but rather an expedited handover to allow Dr. Esongo settle into his duties ahead of the new academic year. A formal installation ceremony is expected at a later date.
As the school year looms, the new Regional Delegate steps into office with the weight of expectation on his shoulders. The Governor’s call to eradicate the lingering “no school Mondays” resonates beyond the classrooms, it reflects a broader push for normalcy in a region still scarred by years of instability. For Dr. Esongo, restoring confidence in education in the South West will require more than hard work; it will demand resilience, unity, and a collective will from all stakeholders to put children back at the center of the region’s future.