Education standards hit rock bottom as pupils admitted into secondary cycle with an average of 1 out of 20

Many Cameroonian primary school pupils in several centers of the entrance examination into “6ème” (Form 1) have reportedly been admitted into the secondary cycle with the average of 1.

In a leaked result slip, the Center of the Secondary Education College of Okola, in the Lekié division of the Centre Region, has retained as admitted, pupils who obtained an average of 1 out of 20.

More specifically, 4 pupils out of a total of 20 admitted students had averages ranging between 1.3 and 1.8.

As for those with an average of 2, they were as well 4 in number. Their scores ranged from 2.1 to 2.8.

Those with an average of 3 were 7 in total. They displayed scores ranging from 3 to 3.9.

Meanwhile, those with an average of 4 were only 2 and their ratings ranged from 4.4 to 4.5. Only one person obtained the score of 5 out of 20 and the score of 6 out of 20, respectively.

Finally, the bravest and ranked first of the center, Samuel MUNA LONLA came out with an average of 7.1 out of 20. He was born in 2011 in Yaoundé.

At the Mereng College Center in the Mbam and Kim division, region of the Center still, the averages ranged from 2 to 7. The first of the 18 candidates declared admitted had obtained an average of 7.8.

From the testimonies of the teaching body, we learned that it is the implementation of collective promotion a principle which consists in no longer making pupils repeat a year in primary school.

“It’s catastrophic for our education system” reacts a teacher who reveals that parents now manage to spend up to one hundred thousand CFA francs to get their children from cours moyen to 6ème (Form 1) without sitting the entrance examinations.

Source picture: Pupils during a lesson in Souza, western Cameroon. Many of the desks are empty at the school, with children afraid to attend classes due to the attacks. Photograph: Daniel Beloumou Olomo/AFP/Getty

By Amina Hilda.