NW Governor disappointed over ‘back-to-school’ turnout
By Wambo Emmanuel in Bamenda
Following the communiqué signed by some leaders of Anglophones Teachers trade unions ending the strike action and calling for schools resumption on February 5, 2017, the governor of the North West region, Adolph Lele L’Afrique, has embarked on a tour of all the seven division of the region to ensure that schools have effectively started.
The Governors tour which started in Donga Mantung division was greeted with utter disappointment as most of the campuses he visited were nearly empty except for a few students and pupils or teachers spotted in assorted dresses, others in their uniforms.
In Nkambe, like in Ndu and Misaje, Governor Adolph Lele L’Afrique was visibly worried and disappointed with non or poor turn-out. At each of the stopovers, the governor encouraged the students and pupils to go back to school. He also called on parents to think of the future of their children should a whole academic year pass without them going back to school.
The strike action that started since November 21, 2016 by some the teachers’ trade union leaders, some of whom are on the run while others have been arrested has reached a dangerous impasse and has taken a new and deathly twist. Celebrations marking the 51st Youth Day celebrations were seriously marred by strike actions as many schools failed to show up for the annual feast.
Reports from the seven divisions of the region had it that, the celebration marking the 51st National Youth Day was low keyed. Some of the youth centers were found empty while others were only represented by school administrative and teaching staff. Meanwhile, in Misaje sub division, like Nkambe the divisional head quarter, a few students showed up while in Ndu, the ceremonial ground was found absolutely empty. At the regional head quarter, Bamenda, the march pass didn’t last for up to 30 minutes unlike in previous occasions where it usually lasted for about four or five hours.