The regional pedagogic inspector for language for the North West region says the school year will not be cancelled if a truly Anglo-Saxon system is implemented

Tammeh Valentine, North West Regional Pedagogic Inspector for language who doubles as president of the Teachers’ Association of Cameroon says the school years cannot be automatically cancelled despite the fact that 49 school days have been lost following the on-going sit-down strike in the Anglophone regions.

He was speaking in an interview with Journal du Cameroon on February 9, a few days after joining three other trade union leaders to suspend a long-draw-out industrial strike.

“Academic years in Anglo-saxon education systems in Africa are divided into four terms. That is what was practiced in the former British Southern Cameroon until we joined the Republic of Cameroon. We had short holidays that lasted between one and a half weeks and two weeks. We can reinstate that, teach on Saturdays and push official exams to July.” he said, noting that schools in other regions could maintain the current academic program for non-examination classes.

“Situations like this need special considerations. After solving this problem, can return to the normal academic program. If schools fully resume now, that is what we are going to propose to the Minister of Basic Education and the Secondary Education.

Speculators have been quick to conclude that the 2016/2017 academic year in Cameroon would be nullified This speculations were based on fears that schools in the English-speaking regions will not be able to meet UNESCO’s 900 hours requirement for an academic year to be considered valid.

UNESCO representative for Central Africa had however stated after a January meeting with the Minister of External Relations that the organization does not have the powers to cancel a school year. He gave to understanding that each country masters its educational system and may know what to do to catch up if schools are closed for too long.