Despite security constraints, schools kick-off in Buea’s embattled Muea

The locality of Muea, which has wallowed in school boycott for years now, witnessed the reopening of many schools this Tuesday, October 6.

Several schools, especially privately-owned institutions, in conflict areas around Buea, reopened after separatists favoured school resumption across Cameroon’s crisis-affected Northwest and Southwest regions.

According to Madam Esther Mabe, head teacher at Fonge Academy Bilingual Nursery and Primary School, the school registered 33 pupils on the first day of school resumption. Despite being located at a conflict area, Esther Mabe said there is hope the academic year will run hitch-free.

“I want to plead with the parents that the children need to be educated and they have really stayed at home for long. Let us put ourselves together; let us put God before us to cater for these children because if we keep them at home it is going to be disastrous. I’m just begging that parents should try and send their children to school; we are secured,” she added.

Other schools which resumed on Tuesday include Miracle Bilingual Nursery and Primary School which had at least 44 pupils.

According to an authority of the institution, they have had a good beginning with fierce measures implemented to fight the Coronavirus.

As some parents and pupils remain sceptical of the school resumption, she said: “We encourage them that inasmuch as we are here, we still know that our children need education. So we will do everything possible to see that the children are being educated.”

However, some schools in Muea still remained timid amid the school resumption, with schools such as Government School Muea II having no pupils on the second day of resumption.

Teachers who came to the school campus on Tuesday remained idle and returned home by 1pm without pupils showing up yet.

Meanwhile at Government Bilingual High School Muea, the campus was more ready to receive students and a Form Five student said they held their first classes this Tuesday.

Students were dressed in assorted attires and neither uniforms nor the National Flag could be spotted on campus.

By Tata Mbunwe