Meme schools adopt measures to prevent Cholera, Ebola

The thought of having a cholera outbreak and the fear of the deadly Ebola virus in Cameroon remains the major preoccupation for school administrators in Meme Division, Southwest Region, as schools reopened their doors for the 2014/2015 academic Year Monday, September 8.

In the wake of the battle to ensure safety on campus, the principals of mostly populated schools in the metropolis of Kumba who spoke to The Post reassured that, among the routine challenges of school kick off, efforts remain double towards ensuring that campuses are clean, for a dirty environment could serve as breeding ground for cholera or Ebola.

Dr Andrew Mbencho Tazi, Principal of Government Bilingual High School, GBHS Kosala, noted that, measures have been taken to ensure maximum hygiene on campus in line with directives from the Regional Delegate of Public Health for the Southwest Region.

Tazi explained that, their last meeting with the health officials saw school administrators drilled on measures to prevent a possible cholera outbreak in school.

Coupled with the above, the principal noted that, though the dreaded Ebola virus has not yet reached Cameroonian territory, every effort is being made to step up sanitation and student awareness on campus. He also noted that, schools ought to be on alert given that, if cholera or Ebola hits a school milieu, the commotion could be dangerous and difficult to handle.

Despite sounding positive having registered massive attendance on day one of the current school year, the former SWELA scribe cum principal regretted that, the heterogeneous nature of our contemporary society remains problematic for students, teachers and parents.

According to Tazi, instances such as the poor results registered at the Ordinary Levels at the last session of the General Certificate of Education; GCE, nationwide is due to the irresponsible attitude of students, parents and teachers. He explained that, parents nowadays have failed in putting their children under check while some students see themselves as operating on the same level with a tutor. Teachers on their part, Tazi explained, fail in delivering the goods.

At the Cameroon College of Arts and Science CCAS Kumba, the principal Kunz Muelle Mbai reiterated that, despite a positive take off, there was an emphasis on hygiene and sanitation. Kunz disclosed that, taps have been revamped all over campus and toilets cleaned to ward off any of such diseases on campus. He averred that, as concerns the Ebola virus, the environment remains serene as no case has been reported all over the national territory.

Besides celebrating the over four years of outstanding results at the Level of the GCE, kunz told reporters that, for now, the school administration remains concerned with the admission of new students from forms 1 to 4 and lower sixth alongside those who failed the GCE and transferred cases from other schools.

Unlike in CCAS, the problem faced by the administration of GBHS Kosala, among others remains ignorance from parents. For school administrators at the basic education level, there is need for close follow up considering the ages of the pupils.