Claim: In Bandjoun Teachers continue strike and parents stage protest at Government Bilingual Primary School, Fomayum over consistent absence of teachers and using pupil’s for manual labour.
Verdict: Verified! Since January 3, teachers have abdicated their role in this school.
In response to teachers’ protracted absences, some angry parents in the community of Fomyuin-Bandjoun, Koungh-Khi division of the West region, invaded a local primary school. According to reports, they stormed the Government Bilingual Primary School in Fomayum to voice their displeasure with the teachers’ ongoing absences.
The parents said since the start of the second term of the current academic year, teachers of the said primary school have not resumed teaching. Some parents accused the teachers of rather assigning pupils to perform other chores such as fetching wood and water among others instead of teaching them.
In an interview granted by Douala-based Equinoxe TV, one of the parents said, they want the government to take special urgent measures to address the situation. According to the President of the Parent Teachers’ Association, PTA, Julienne Djuidje, pupils have not been taught since January 3.
It is unclear why teachers in Bandjoun continue to strike but it is safe the say the government is yet to meet up with their promise sine last year. For a similar story read Government Stalls to Provide Solution to Teachers’ Grievances
Parent’s Opinions About The Teachers Continuous Strike
“Our children came to school on January 3 and the head master sent them home. They came with a note signed by the Head Master inviting us for a meeting, ” Djuidje recounted. Djuidje said, when they arrived the school campus the next day, the head master did not show up. She said they opted to protest after waiting in vain.
Another parent, Odile Djomo said: “We were tired of waiting. We wanted the head teacher to come and explain to us why our kids have not been taught since schools resumed for the second term two weeks ago. We learnt that, only two teachers teach six different classes and this is not possible”.
Flaure Toukap, yet another parent, recounted that: “Most often my children come home tired and very dirty. When I ask them what they do in school, the only reply one get is ‘there was no class, our teacher sent us to fetch firewood, plantain leaves or bitter leaves’.
We don’t know if our children were send to school to study or to be used as slaves”.
