Yaoundé’s Collège Catholique Bilingue Saint Benoit school has expelled Onana Ndongo Christian Joseph, who served as the Discipline Master and a math teacher, following allegations of sexual assault made by students.
The decision to expel Joseph, who held a dual role at the institution, was reached after consultations between school administrators and the parents of the affected students.
According to the testimonies of the students involved, the discipline master was accused of forcibly engaging in inappropriate sexual behaviour, specifically forcing his genitals into their mouths.
Onana Joseph vehemently denied the accusations, asserting that the students had intentionally provoked him by undressing in his presence and attempting to seduce him.
The principal of Collège Catholique Bilingue Saint Benoit, Konan Jacques, released a statement disclosing that, despite the expulsion of the accused discipline master, investigations into the matter are ongoing.
The statement read, “Following the serious accusations made against Mr. Ndongo Onana Christian Joseph, mathematics teacher and discipline master, the Principal of Collège Catholique Bilingue Saint Benoit met with the parents of the students on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. The purpose of this meeting was to shed light on these accusations.
Pending the conclusions of the ongoing investigations, the school relieved the discipline master of his duties, as well as his teaching responsibilities.”
The principal, speaking on behalf of the school administration, reassured parents that the college “remains an appropriate environment for the comprehensive education of students and a place for addressing all raised concerns.”
The incident highlights a concerning trend of students falling victim to sexual abuse at the hands of teachers and administrators in educational institutions.
In a broader context, the issue of sexual abuse in schools appears to be a growing concern, not only in Cameroon but also in neighbouring countries like Nigeria. Recently, the Nigerian government took decisive action by shutting down an institution where a female teacher was accused of raping a three-year-old pupil, sparking discussions about the need for a comprehensive approach to address such cases.
