Fatshimetrie
In the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, the separatist crisis that has been raging for several years has seriously impacted the education system, jeopardizing the future of thousands of children and adolescents. Jane Ndamei, a 20-year-old student from the Southwest region, saw her dream of becoming a doctor almost cost her her life five years ago.
As she was taking her final exam in grade 12, gunshots suddenly rang out, signaling the arrival of armed men in the school. Forced to flee in haste with her classmates, Ndamei feared for her life in the face of this unprecedented violence. Her poignant story reflects the reality of many children and adolescents in situations of armed conflict in the West and Central African regions.
The separatist crisis in Cameroon has led to the closure of more than 14,000 schools in 24 countries in the region, depriving 2.8 million children of access to education. The situation has worsened further in 2023, with 1.4 million school-age children in urgent need of educational assistance, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council report. The figures are alarming, with 855,000 children deprived of education in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon in 2019, mainly due to attacks on schools by armed separatist groups.
The conflict pits Anglophone separatists against the Francophone-dominated central government, fueling a cycle of violence that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more. Children and adolescents are the first victims of this crisis, forced to forgo their education due to attacks on schools.
Separatists have launched a school boycott to pressure the government to politically recognize their demands. They have resorted to acts of violence, including the killing and kidnapping of students and teachers, and the systematic destruction of school infrastructure, to dissuade families from sending their children to school.
This humanitarian tragedy is not just about interrupting school. Every day without education is a day stolen from the future of children and their communities. Thousands of young people, like Jane Ndamei, are seeing their dreams shattered and their futures compromised because of this devastating conflict.
The depth of suffering caused by the separatist crisis in Cameroon is illustrated by the poignant testimonies of families like that of Nelson Tabuwe, who fled the violence with his children and is struggling to meet their basic needs. The career aspirations of talented young people like Jude, Janet and Claire are dashed by a prolonged lack of education, condemning them to an uncertain future..
Faced with this harsh reality, it is urgent to find sustainable solutions to restore access to education for all children in Cameroon and put an end to this crisis that is compromising the future of an entire country. Education is the foundation on which the future of a nation is built, and each child deprived of this opportunity represents an inestimable loss for society as a whole. It is time to act, rebuild and invest in education, so that young people like Jane Ndamei can realize their dreams and contribute to the development of Cameroon.