The all Anglophone Teachers Trade Union have
addressed an epistle being what they call a “statement of fact” to the Prime
Minister and Head of Government Philemon Yang. The structure which has been in
an epistolary exchange with the government met in Bamenda Wednesday June 7,
2017 to “examine the level of implementation of the recommendations of the
Ad-hoc Commission on Education, the ongoing end of course examination, the
situation of non-examination lasses and the way forward for the 2017/2018
academic year, the plight of the teachers in lay private and denominational
schools and the present social climate in the North West and South West regions
characterized by arson on schools buildings and property and violence exactly
on students and teachers” the letter states.
While expressing “reservations about the
complacency demonstrated by government towards implementing many of the
resolutions of the Ad-hoc Committee and noted that in the most part. Whatever government
purports to have done is only in the form of studies are being carried out, it
is in process”, the trade Union leaders described
the moves as “another attempt by government to undermine the legitimate
grievances put forward by the All Anglophone Teachers Trade Union and a
demonstration of sophism.”
They also noted with satisfaction
redeployment of teachers of secondary technical education from both sub-systems
of education to their areas of competence, the ongoing integration of contract
teacher and contractualisation of PTA Teachers, the creation of the French
Modern letters series in HTTTC Bambili, the ongoing recruitment of science
teachers and the ongoing integration of contract teachers of secondary
education.
While regretting the manner in which some end of course examinations have
been and are being written which moaned the fate of children in none
examination classes, the teacher’s leaders agreed that government’s slow
reaction towards addressing education matters makes the prospects of the
resumption of schools for the 2017/2018 Academic Year grim. The teachers
recommended that “school heads should adopt objective and acceptable criteria
to enable pupils and students to move on with their studies. The reopening of
schools and resumption of classes for 2017/2018 academic year lies in the hands
of parents and the willingness of government to implement resolutions and open
up meaningful dialogue with all education stakeholders. Hierarchy should cause
the PTAs to discuss school resumption as a one point gender in specially
convened PTA meetings and resolve on it now. The calendar for the 2017/2018
academic year should be readjusted to end in June or mid July 2018 to make up
for lost time. Teachers should be made to teach extra hours and some incentives
given to them. Official exams should be written in July 2018.”
Before lashing out at government for being
silent on the plight of teachers of lay private and denominational schools as
while “their employers remain very selfish, insensitive and inhumane, the
teachers union expressed shock over the violence and the arson that has gripped
the affected regions with “the unwillingness and or inability of religious
political, traditional and civic leaders
to decry and speak against these repugnant acts in order that sanity return to
our society is unfathomable and heart bleeding.”
Amongst the many resolutions and
recommendations as relates the implementation of the ad-hoc committee on
education, the teachers requested the Head of State to grant amnesty to
detained and exiled teachers, parents an students so that they can join the
education community to prepare a smooth take off of the 2017/2018 academic
year, disburse the special subsidy of FCFA 2bn from the Head of state to
private and denominational schools, sign collective convention for private
education for effective start of 2017/2018 academic year, modify organization of the education forum
expected in July 2017.
Tags
Opinion