English-speaking Cameroon: teachers kidnapped as local prefect asks for classes to resume
The Kumba school targeted by a deadly attack, October 25, 2020. (Illustrative image) REUTERS / Josiane Kouagheu
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
Five members of the educational team of a high school in the North West were kidnapped this week within the very walls of their establishment.
Since the start of the security crisis in the English-speaking majority regions of the North West and South West, threats and attacks against government schools have been recurrent.
This comes less than two weeks after a press release from the local authorities asking teachers to return to work.
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In this area,
where attacks are regular
on the road, rocky and dented and bordered by dense forests, this is the first time that kidnappings have taken place inside an establishment. For Semma Valentine, general secretary of the Cattu union, this is proof that the security situation is not under control.
He denounces the attitude of the authorities: "
The officials in the administrations are used to being protected by the security forces and driving around in armored vehicles, but they put pressure on the teachers to return to the schools. . But when they risk their lives and are kidnapped, no one comes to their rescue. And if they don't go to class, they don't get paid. So many teachers have had their salaries suspended!
»
Last month, in a report on the impact of the conflict on education,
Human Rights Watch
estimated at 700,000 the number of students deprived of schooling since 2017 in the North West and South West.
HRW, which in its recommendations calls on separatist groups, has publicly announced the end of the boycott of schools in the English-speaking area.
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Cameroon
Education