6.5 million students registered for Back to School 2015

The 2015-2016 academic year officially opens today all over the territory.

According to statistics collected by the Ministry of Basic Education (MINEDUB), more than 4.5 million students, as compared to the 4 million registered last year, started school this year.

The Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC) stated that the table displays a difference of nearly two million students this year against 1.9 million. In secondary schools, everything was ready for the first courses to start this morning. Although for a few stragglers who are still in search of a place or at the registration process.

"The school year is expected with assignments by principals and it will take some time for students to finally settle down. We must at all costs, see to it that our child has a place," said a determined parent.

Some are very prepared to pay the full price because the aim is to have a place for their child, despite the admonitions of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

In order for everything to be ready this morning, Friday, September 4 was a ‘marathon-day’ for Teachers, General Supervisors, Head Teachers and Principals. There were a series of general meetings for the school year with the various managers within the institutions and even outside.

Discussed at the meeting were the different duties of the departments, the availability of materials and equipment, timetables, lists of students, recruitment and staffing, disciplinary matters, among others. It was also a day devoted to cleaning. Thus, at Cetic of Ngoa-Ekelle, a visitor who arrives at premises was greeted by the smell of fresh paint.

A team of masons were at work. The walls of the buildings, as well as those of the fences were having a new outlook. The work took place under the watchful eye of Jeannette Tega, the Director. "The establishment must accommodate students in cleanliness, to start the year in style. That is why we repaired the toilets and weeds have been removed. It is the same for the classrooms which was cleaned on the eve of the school year," said the headmaster.

In a school in Melen I, it was the same atmosphere. The premise was not only clean, but also the lists of students were already displayed in front of each classroom. This was to allow everyone to easily find which class they belonged to. The current security setting was also at the center of preparation in the various institutions. "The regional delegate of MINESEC had held a sectoral meeting to give us the schedules during the school year," said Jeannette Tega.