The President of the Republic of Cameroon, Paul Biya is once again under the spotlight as teachers in the North-West and South-West regions raise serious concerns over what they describe as inconsistencies in an ongoing nationwide staff census.
Educators on the ground raised the alarm, accusing authorities of applying a “double standard” in the verification exercise rolled out by the Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC). At the heart of the matter is a growing disconnect between policy and reality in conflict-affected zones.
According to accounts relayed to MMI News, officials tasked with conducting the physical headcount have reportedly avoided traveling to remote and insecure localities. Instead, they are said to be operating from regional headquarters, leaving teachers with the burden of making risky journeys to be registered.
This development has increased outrage among teachers who say the approach defies logic. One teacher questioned why educators are required to remain in these volatile areas to teach, while government personnel refuse to enter the same zones for official duties.
Critics argue that asking teachers to leave their duty posts and travel through insecure territories exposes them to unnecessary danger. Many see this as a contradiction that undermines trust in the process and raises questions about the authorities’ awareness of the situation on the ground.
Beyond safety fears, doubts are also being cast over the credibility of the exercise itself. Teachers warn that a census described as “physical” loses its meaning if it fails to reach schools in hard-to-access communities. According to them, such gaps could defeat the government’s objective of identifying absentee staff.
The timing of the operation is also raising eyebrows. The exercise is taking place at a critical moment in the academic calendar, coinciding with mock examinations. Teachers argue that leaving classrooms unattended at such a time could disrupt learning and affect student performance.
While the government maintains that the census is designed to clean up the system and track down teachers who have abandoned their posts or left the country, those on the front lines remain skeptical.
