Society

North West: Basic education officials say destroyed schools to be reconstructed.

Destroyed school in the North West Region

Basic education official in the North West Region have disclosed that primary schools destroyed due to the ongoing armed conflict in the region will be reconstructed this year.
They were speaking to the press recently in Bamenda. The officials explained that this year’s budget of more than 2 billion FCFA in the basic education sub sector in the region has been adopted with a significant portion of 1.35 billion FCFA allocated for investments as authorities strive to increase the enrollment figures in schools.

The North West Delegate of Basic Education, Ngola Kevin, explained that the 2024 budget of more than 2 billion FCFA will mainly be used to reconstruct the destroyed schools.

“Almost every Subdivision was touched, but there is a programme where they have asked Inspectors to submit proposals. I am sure much will be done for the North West this year as far as reconstruction of schools in concerned,” he said.

Another major concern in the region, it was disclosed, is the creation of what is considered politically motivated schools that disrespect demographical situations. “Normally, we are supposed to have 3 km in rural areas separating two schools,” Ngola said.

It was also disclosed that in 2023, much of what government refers to as minimum package for the running of schools in the region came very late, thereby adversely impacting the quality of education already affected by seven years of a protracted armed conflict.

Statistics indicate that there were over 400,000 pupils in primary schools in the North West Region just before the outbreak of the crisis in 2016. However, due to attacks on schools, the figures drastically dropped to less 20,000 as of 2018.