After Apostolic Nuncio: US Embassy crusades safe schools, massive attendance in NW, SW.

In a statement issued Tuesday September 3, the diplomatic service restated its longstanding position on the need for children to be allowed to acquire education, despite the challenging security situation in the two English-speaking Regions. 

Despite expressing concerns over what it said are “recent incidents and threats in Cameroon’s North West and South West Regions”, the Embassy upheld the need for every child’s right to education.

The Embassy indicated that it “condemns all forms of violence against civilians”. 

It insisted that “as classes resume in the coming days, we cannot forget that every child has the right to education”.

Schools are sanctuaries 

Apparently talking sense to those who have been targeting schools and innocent children in the North West and South West Regions to frustrate learning for years, the US Embassy, just like other stakeholders have been insisting, restated the sacredness of schools. 

It underscored that: “Schools are sanctuaries for learning and children must not be prevented from classes”.

Peace pathway to tackle complex political, security situations

In furtherance of its stand on the general situation of things in the English-speaking Regions that have witnessed challenging times since 2017, the US diplomatic service in Yaounde stipulated in its release the place of peace in handling challenging situations and issues.

“We reaffirm the need for peaceful approaches to address complex political and security issues,” the Embassy enthused. 

Building on diplomats’ call for effective schooling

The statement from the US embassy on the need for children to be allowed to go to school ties with the position of several diplomats accredited to Yaounde. 

Among them are the outgoing United States Ambassador to Cameroon, John Lamora and the British High Commissioner to Cameroon, Barry Lowen.

In separate outings not long ago, the two high profile diplomats had also indicated the need for attacks on schoolchildren in the two Regions to cease. 

Thus, the calls of this week are building on a longstanding desire and momentum from among the key stakeholders to ensure children’s right to education is not violated in the troubled regions.

Everyone in support of children’s right to education

Another influential voice that has emboldened calls for effective schooling in the North West and South West Regions is the representative of the Vatican in Cameroon, His Grace Jose Avelino Benttencourt. 

In his capacity of Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea cum an emissary of Pope Francis, the priest is also firm on children being allowed to study peacefully.

His Grace Benttercourt’s message is what has been resonating nationwide, especially as he equally talked of the future of millions of children being on the line. 

In a moving and soul-touching video message, the priest reminded all on the need for children to be allowed to study to build their future in serenity.

Among several powerful pronouncements directed to separatist fighters and other stakeholders, His Grace Jose Avelino Bettencourt said this September, “let us free the children, let us allow the children to build the future’.

Stakeholders seeing peace as only way forward

For one thing, the US Embassy and the Apostolic Nuncio agree in their messages that peace is the only way forward. 

While the US Embassy is firm that peace is the way through which challenges can be addressed, His Grace Bettencourt had in his message stated that there will never be any justification for violence, especially against schoolchildren.

“Dear friends, violence is never justified. Only peace is the way to the future. This month of September, please let children attend school and together let us work for peace,” he stated. 

Don’t be deceived by school boycott crusaders

Additionally, there is a multitude that is also holding firm to the need for children to go to school in the two English-speaking Regions, void of any attacks. 

This category of people, must of whom said they had been deceived in 2017 not to send children to school, are now arguing that the error of yesterday cannot repeat itself.

In that year, separatists and their agents had lied that the United Nation Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNSECO, was going to cancel the school year. That never happened. 

They then changed the narrative to say certificates obtained during official exams of that school year were never going to be recongised.

These, to many of those hailing the ongoing effective schooling campaigns, are lies that make is clear that no one should allow his/her child at home in the North West and South West Regions as schools resume Monday.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3220 of Thursday, September 5, 2024