Ambazonia activists are visibly divided over the resumption of schools in the Anglophone regions of the Cameroon.
They have been expressing contrasting views on whether schools should resume in the North West and South West regions amidst insecurity.
Ten armed camps fighting for the restoration of Southern Cameroon(Ambazonia) in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon under the banner of Ambazonia Coalition Team(ACT) had earlier called on parents and students in the North West and South West regions to diligently respect a “a peaceful non violent boycott of school”.
In a statement issued following contrasting views about school resumption for the 2020/2021 school year, the Ambazonia Coalition Team acknowledges that children have a right to education but “…the right to equality and dignity and right to life are more important…”.
To ACT, any education in the North West and South West region of Cameroon from Yaounde is tailored to meet the aspiration of the “colonial master”.
They have described calls for school resumption as a trick from the government of president Paul Biya to water down the legitimate demands for the restoration of the statehood of Ambazonia.
Ambazonia Coalition Team challenges the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York at this time to uphold its charter and resolution by ordering the Yaounde administration to withdraw troops and UN should put in place a peace keeping mission. “Schools can only function in safe communities and restoration fighters cannot guarantee that with the presence of occupational forces from Yaounde administration”.
The stand for no school in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon has been condemned by a separatist fighter in the South West region of Cameroon. Writing to Mimi Mefo Info, the fighter we have opted to call James for security reasons says “As of now, there is no reason to stop our children from going to school. What I expect to see are possible solutions on how to sort out the issue of colonial state schools in our territory. Emphasis should be for parents to send their kids only in community, lay private and mission schools.I personally welcome the decision of school resumption as a positive move on our path”.
According to the fighter, lawyers and teachers in the North West and South West regions that started the struggled long resumed their duties and those see no reason why students and pupils should not resume school. He argues that illiteracy in the Anglophone regions in five years will likely rise following actions today.
The fighter further accused the military of attacking schools, hospital and churches and therefore called on ‘Ambazonians to device a way to stop the military from doing this.
“We can’t continue keeping our children out of school… it’s just the right decision to let kids go to school and all restoration forces should make sure there is adequate security and safety for the children who will be willing to resume school”.
A statement from the office of the President of Ambazonia governing Council states that “in areas under Ambazonia control, Community schools are ongoing under Ambazonia curriculum of education and supervised by Ambazonia Education Board. Ambazonia will again operate any institution under Cameroun”.
In the statement signed by Dr. Cho Ayaba, he condemns all calls for schools to resume in the North West and South West regions with the use of school materials from the republic of Cameroon. The governing council calls on the people to continue making sacrifices to finally get freedom; Sacrifices of staying out of school that some fighters are standing against.
According James, a fighter in the South West regions of Cameroon, “Parents are struggling to send their children to La Republigue to learn bad morals. To me all schools should be open without the teaching of French Language and the writing of CAP, BAC and Probatoire”.
As Ambazonians continue to posit contrasting views on the issue of school resumption, the government of Cameroon is finalizing measures for schools to resume in these areas despite the poor security and infrastructure.
Mbatho Ntan.
