49 unauthorised schools to be closed down in Douala

The revelation was made in Douala during a regional meeting to improve educationl services.

Heads of private institutions in the Littoral have been called upon to engage in an offensive against unauthorised schools in the region.

The Secretary General at the Littoral Governor’s Office, Ludovic Ngwba, made that call while addressing the Regional Committee of Private Secondary Education in the Littoral on August 6, at the Bonanjo Enfance Joyeuse Hall.

Following a recent inventory of private secondary schools in the Littoral by the Ministry of Secondary Education, 49 were identified as ‘clandestine’ schools and earmarked for closure.

A recent ministerial arête orders the closure of such institutions before the 2014/2015 school year reopens in September. This and other issues like analysing the challenges facing private education in order to make reasonable recommendations and proposed solutions sanctioned the meeting of the Committee.

The Secretary General lauded the services of private schools, their academic performance, the construction and equipping of schools of high standards in the region. He congratulated Collège Libermann and Collège Privé Laic La Conquête for their constant topping of the chart of brilliant performance in certificates exams in the country.

Hear him: “Last school year was generally satisfactory as there were no problems relating to non payment of teachers salaries, coverage and the respect of official programmes.”

Problems facing the sector in the region were common among the participants and administration: unauthorised opening of cycles, specialities and other fields of study, non respect of the calendar for the submission of files, non or partial contribution contribution of insurance dues, concealment of students enrollment, more schools not taking part in FENASCO A games, underequipped laboratories and libraries, non-observation of National Days like bilingualism, guidance counselling, mother tongue, and philosophy.

Agbor James, Principal of the Douala Academy of Arts and Sciences Bonaberi, cited non payment of subvention as a major obstacle against a meaning functioning of most private schools.