The Commander of the Second Joint Military Region (in charge of the Littoral and South West Regions), Eba Eba Bede Benoit, has reassured the population of the South West Region that ample security measures have been implemented to ensure a safe and effective school resumption.
The military commander was in Buea, the regional capital, on Tuesday, August 27, to evaluate the security situation in the Region ahead to school resumption on September 9.
He held strategic meetings with senior officials from the Army, Gendarmerie, and Police to finalise plans aimed at securing schools and protecting students and staff across the region.
The meeting came on the eve of September, a period usually marked by heightened insecurity in the North West and South West Regions, where armed separatists have targeted schools in their quest for independence.
The South West Region continues to grapple with the impact of the eight-year conflict, which has severely disrupted education, leaving many schools non-functional.
In the past, the September school resumption period has often been marred by separatist-imposed lockdowns, resulting in brutal attacks on students, teachers, and schools.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), by November last year, approximately 2,245 schools in the North West and South West regions remained closed due to the conflict.
The recent security meeting in Buea is aimed at preventing a repeat of last year’s violence, where a two-week separatist lockdown during the first and second weeks of school resumption led to the deaths of several people and disrupted educational activities in affected areas.
Speaking to CRTV radio in Buea, the South West Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai, said insecurity is no longer a threat in the Region.
“We are not talking about security anymore. We are talking about rebuilding. We are talking about resuming operations and maintaining what we have gained. Security is no longer a challenge for us. Our challenge is resuming operations,” he said.
Authorities hope that the reinforced security efforts will allow for a smoother and safer school reopening across the South West Region this year.
