By Zera Nambu
Most schools in the North West regional capital, Bamenda, have remained closed for a third week due to an ongoing separatist-imposed lockdown, once again jeopardizing the education of thousands of children.
Schools in the South West regional capital, Buea, have also largely remained shut, since September 8, when the new academic year kicked off.
Much of Cameroon’s North West and South West regions have been paralyzed for more than two weeks, with schools, markets, shops, and transport services brought to a standstill after separatists threatened residents to stay at home.
Experts warn that the prolonged closure threatens not only academic progress but also the mental well-being of young learners, especially those in end-of-course examination classes, who will be tested on the same syllabus as their peers in the French-speaking regions.
Examination Students Hardest-hit
Students preparing for the Cameroon General Certificate of Education (GCE) exams are among the hardest hit.
With no formal lessons since the academic year began, many now face an uncertain future.
“I’m deeply worried about my final exams,” says Daniel, a Form Five student in Bamenda.
“We haven’t had any classes, and I don’t own a phone or have Internet access to study online. We’ll have to work extra hard to catch up when school reopens.”
Parents and Teachers Sound the Alarm
Parents express mounting anxiety over the lost learning time and the pressures their children will face once schools reopen.
“My children have been idle for weeks,” says Mrs. Nkem, a mother of three in Bamenda.
“I try to help, but I don’t have the resources or knowledge. When schools reopen, I fear there will be so much pressure on them.”
A secondary school teacher added, “We want to support our students, but the lockdown and infrastructural challenges leave us powerless. Many students have forgotten key lessons. Catching up will require intense effort.”
While schools in Cameroon’s eight other regions have been running since September 8, most institutions in the North West and South West remain closed under the lockdown.
Days before the academic year began, separatist groups issued statements calling for a lockdown aimed at disrupting school resumption and the October 12 presidential election.
Parents and teachers remain reluctant to defy these orders, as separatists have historically used violence to enforce compliance.
