Gov’t warns secessionists not to compromise the education of children in NW, SW

By DOH JAMES SONKEY
The government has condemned secessionist lockdown campaign aimed at marring the effective reopening of schools in the two troubled Anglophone regions. Warning secessionists not to compromise the future of young citizens, government officials made an appeal to the international community and its international partners to denounce those spearheading such campaigns abroad in order to allow children enjoy their rights to education in these regions.
Minister of State for Higher Education and Chancellor of Academic Orders, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo, Basic Education Minister, Prof Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa, Secretary of State to the Minister of Secondary Education in charge of Teacher Training, Boniface Bayaola and Secretary of State to the Minister of Basic Education, Asheri Kilo joined Communication Minister and Government Spokesperson, Rene Emmanuel Sadi in granting a press conference last August 26, 2019 at the Ministry of Communication in Yaounde, to update the public on nationwide preparedness ahead of the kick off of the 2019/2020 school year, on Monday September 2, 2019.

(L-R) Sec of State, Asheri Vivian Kilo, Minister Etoundi Ngoa, Minister of State Fame Ndongo, Minister Rene Sadi and Sec of State, Boniface Bayaola at the joint press conference
(L-R) Sec of State, Asheri Vivian Kilo, Minister Etoundi Ngoa, Minister of State Fame Ndongo, Minister Rene Sadi and Sec of State, Boniface Bayaola at the joint press conference

Minister Sadi reassured that “just like it has done in the past, Government will spare no effort and will continue to beef up its responsibility to enable young boys and girls go back to school this year.”
The Government Spokesman regretted that “By preventing these children from going to school, they are causing prejudice to the President of the Republic who wants all his citizens to be educated and prepared for the best in future. We cannot tolerate this.”
In his preliminary statement, Minister Rene Sadi frowned that “Schools shutdown in the North West and South West regions for some time now do not only constitute a flagrant violation of the relevant provisions of the laws and regulations of the Republic, but are also genuine violations of international conventions relating to the child’s right to education.”
Listing atrocities caused by secessionists on schools at the just ended school year, he said several terrorists’ attacks were carried out against schools in the two Anglophone regions with 19 teachers and 58 students kidnapped at the universities of Bamenda and Buea. The abduction followed by the beheading of WOUNTAI VONDOU Olivier, a History and Geography Teacher at the Nitop High School in Bamenda.”
Stressing that the government will no longer tolerate secessionists to take education of its younger generation hostage, they reassured that special measures have been taken by administrative authorities to permit children go back to school all over the country.
Speaking at the occasion, Prof Fame Ndongo urged parents not to respect lockdown and school boycott initiated by secessionists to frustrate the future of young citizens.
Prof Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa on his part regretted that secessionist attacks on schools, teachers and pupils have led to the temporary closure of majority of primary schools in the North West and South West regions.

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