By Noela EBOB BISONG
Cameroon’s minister of Secondary Education, Prof. Nalova Lyonga has signaled what could be termed a final warning to principals of colleges who cover up absentee teachers, especially some who may have totally abandoned duty and or have travelled abroad.
In the recent Memo signed by the Minister, she alerts that such principals who conspire with absentee teachers by failing to report their absence while they collect salaries for no work done, shall be brought to book in the days ahead.
“I would like to reassure you that these unscrupulous principals, who violate the law and my instructions for their personal interests rather than caring about the future or our learners, will be tracked down and severely punished in accordance with the provisions of the law”, she warns.
It is an open secret that certain school administrators have ‘an arrangement’ with absentee teachers, for a specific amount of the latter’s salary, to shut their mouths.
Minister Nalova, disturbed by the recurrent situation in some schools which has a cost on the students and the state, regrets that, “Reports from the field reveal that, in spite of repeated warnings, some principals still cover up teachers who are in a position of irregular absence. It is worth noting that the absence of these teachers, most of whom are abroad, is a real hindrance to the smooth running of teaching activities in our schools. This also becomes a financial burden to the state since the said teachers are paid for no work done.”
The Minister alerts that, “Impromptu inspections will be randomly carried out to thoroughly investigate this state of affairs.”
The MINIESEC boss further cautions that, “I hereby urge all principals involved in this conspiracy against National Educational, to put an end to this unethical practice and to immediately forward the list of all absent personnel to the Ministry of Secondary Education.”