Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
During a press conference held in Yaoundé, the teachers’ organization announced their next move following the government’s failure to address key demands presented weeks ago. The COREC had earlier warned that if their grievances were not addressed before the national resumption date, they would proceed with a strike action, thereby disrupting the start of the third academic term. They have now confirmed that the strike will begin on April 22 and might likely stop only when the government’s give them concrete answers.
Among the grievances listed, teachers are calling for the adoption of a special status for the teaching profession. In addition, they are demanding the organization of a National Forum on Education before the upcoming presidential election in October, a platform they believe is necessary to engage in constructive dialogue on the future of the education sector in Cameroon. Another key demands are the immediate ratification of the collective convention related to teachers status in private institutions and the immediate payments of the teachers arrears, bonus and recall.
In the weeks leading up to the resumption, COREC participated in meetings with the various ministers of education, during which they submitted a draft version of the proposed special status for teachers. That development gave hope within the education community that progress was being made. However, it now appears those discussions did not yield concrete results, leading to disappointment and a reaffirmation of the planned strike. They equally warned that should the government remain silent and refuse to act, they will further proceed to boycotting of final term exams.
With the school year nearing its final course, this protest action could significantly impact the academic calendar and student performance. As of now, the government is yet to issue an official response to COREC’s latest announcement.
