Principals urged to admit refugees in public colleges

Some 22 Principals of public colleges in Yaoundé have met with officials of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and plan Cameroon to discuss the rights of refugees to education.

The consultations were organised by UNHCR in line with its 2012 – 2016 education strategy to increase the number of refugees attaining secondary school education in Cameroon’s political capital.

UNHCR representatives are of the opinion that despite the precarious financial situation of the refugees they desire the right to education as précised in the UN charter on the protection of the rights of the child which Cameroon has ratified.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees and Plan Cameroon during the deliberations announced a 798 thousand CFA francs project to facilitate access into public schools for the refugees.

The project consists of collecting and depositing the files of refugee applicants in the 22 pilot public colleges in Yaounde.