School resumption: Nkambe boycotts boycott calls!.

With determination, the pupils and students Monday thronged various campuses in the Subdivision for effective start of the 2024/202/ school year.

The learners, clad in their official school uniforms, took to their various campuses on Day One of school resumption, despite calls by separatists for them to stay away from lecture halls. 

Unlike in most parts of the restive of North West and South West Regions, where separatists have imposed school boycott, school attendance in Nkambe Central Subdivision yesterday was more than impressive. 

In their thousands, the learners in Nkambe began appearing on campuses as early as 6:30 a.m Monday. 

There was regular morning devotion before the learners headed for their classrooms, where effective studies began. 

Most of the learners could be spotted taking lessons Monday. 

Authorities of Nkambe, in Donga Mantung Division, made rounds on the various campuses for an on- the -spot assessment of school resumption. At least 12 schools were visited by the local administration.

When the Divisional Officer, DO of Nkambe Central Subdivision, Boukar, visited the campuses, he told the young learners he had come to encourage them before assuring them of their safety while on campus. 

The civil administrator informed the learners that government considers their education a priority, reason all necessary measures have been taken to ensure they study in the most comfortable and safe environment. He urged the pupils and students to remain steadfast while concentrating on their studies.

“We came here just to encourage you and wish you a happy start of the school year. We want to use this opportunity to congratulate the administration of GBHS Nkambe and also you, the students, for a job well done in the 2023/2024 academic year. We congratulate you for the good results recorded during the last academic year. We want to assure you that everything is ok. All the dispositions to ensure a successful 2024/2025 academic year have been taken,” he said during the visit.

Commenting shortly after the visit, the civil administrator noted that he was generally satisfied with the atmosphere which prevailed on campuses in Nkambe on Day One of school resumption.

He stated that: “I want to say that I am very satisfied. Back-to-school school in Nkambe Subdivision has been effective and 100% successful. We have visited secondary and primary schools. We have visited approximately 12 schools and there are over 4,000 learners in the schools. I think this is a good start”.

Also commenting, a staff of GHS Nkambe said this year's school reopening in Nkambe Central Subdivision was largely successful.

She said: “The school has resumed. Reopening has been effective. 319 students answered present. The teaching and administrative staff are all there and we are quite satisfied. We came prepared and everything is going on well”.

Fruits of concerted efforts

It wasn’t the first time within the context of the Anglophone crisis that Nkambe was recording massive school attendance. Schools in Nkambe have always operated to full capacity, amidst the ongoing armed conflict in the two English-speaking Regions of the country.

While elite of the area are generally credited with the prevailing peaceful atmosphere and effective schooling, which the Subdivision enjoys, Nkambe Central Member of Parliament, Hon Ngala Gerard and Musa Shey Nfor, the mayor of the Nkambe Municipality, are known to be architects of the stability and effective schooling that Nkambe Central Subdivision enjoys.

Musa Shey Nfor, who is amongst the few resident mayors in the Region, has constantly engaged activities to ensure Nkambe remains an island of peace in the turbulent North West Region. 

His activities, together with those of Hon Ngala Gerard, have positioned Nkambe as one of the few stable areas in the restive North West and South West Regions. 

Besides fighting fiercely against school boycott calls, Hon Ngala Gerard has also fearlessly battled Monday ghost town operations imposed by separatists. 

Nkambe has since been enjoying normal life on Mondays, which all parts of the North West and South West Regions, are observed as ghost town days.

Former Minister Shey Jones Yembe; the Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technology Development, Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry; and the General Manager of CAMTEL, Yah Judith Sunday espse Achidi, have also been largely credited for playing key roles in ensuring Donga Mantung Division remains the baston of peace and national unity.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3225 of Tuesday September 10, 2024