Cameroon: Tone-down celebrations as Teachers celebrate 28th World Teachers Day

By Synthia Lateu & Boris Esono Nwenfor [caption id="attachment_101188" align="alignnone" width="640"] The usual match past was dropped in favour of a tone down celebration in Buea[/caption] The hustling and buzzing, the match past that usually characterized the World Teachers Day celebration in Cameroon was thrown out in Buea, the chief town of the South West Region in favour of a tone-down celebration. This was the same scenario across various parts of the South West as with the North West Region, two regions still gripping with fear due to the ongoing sociopolitical violence. The 28^th edition of the World Teachers Day on October 5 in the South West Region stood as an avenue to sort out ways to prevent cholera in school and how manage mental hygiene. Dr Hannah Etonde Mbua, SW Regional Delegate of Secondary Education said the talks have equipped them “to go back to school and sensitize not just the students but the administrative staff” while encouraging the teachers to uphold resilience as they exercise the profession. Cameroon has for the past years been hit by sociopolitical, economical and health crises. The education sector has been in the process been confronted with many challenges that have in most cases victimized teachers in the South West region. Addressing the teachers on World Teachers Day, Bernard Okalia Bilai, Governor of the South West urged the teachers to be agents of peace. He said the teacher remains the frontline actor in bringing much-needed change in society – a situation according to him explains the choice of this year's theme: "Teachers, leading in crisis and reimagining the future." [caption id="attachment_101189" align="alignnone" width="640"] Governor Bernard Oklia Bilai awards a medal to a teacher during celebration marking the 28th Teachers Day celebration in Buea[/caption] “Some people wanted to kill education in the Region. Thanks to teachers we continue to prepare the future generation through education… Teachers stood up and say that education will not be killed,” Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai told journalists. Medals were awarded to some teachers in recognition of their tireless work done in the past academic year. Mbiwan Darias, a teacher who has taught for 32 years said the medal to her represents a retirement gift and commends her hard work. International Teachers Day has been celebrated since October 5 1994 as a means to accentuate the important role that the teacher plays in society. This year's edition in Cameroon comes at a time when the atmosphere is coloured by teacher strikes and poor working conditions amongst others. The situation is particularly difficult for teachers teaching in the North West and South West Regions who have had to grapple with kidnappings and some have seen their colleagues killed in the process. [caption id="attachment_101190" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Systematic and widespread attacks  on students, teachers, and schools in the Anglophone regions have taken place since 2017[/caption] Systematic and widespread attacks by armed separatist groups on students, teachers, and schools in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions since 2017 have had a devastating impact on children’s right to education, Human Rights Watch said in a report. “Leaders of separatist groups should immediately announce an end to the school boycott and ensure that their fighters end all attacks on schools, teachers, and students," said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. “These criminal attacks don’t just cause immediate physical and psychological harm to victims; they jeopardize the future of tens of thousands of students.”