edited by Richard Fonteh Akum and Francis B. Nyamnjoh
A Test of Anglophone Solidarity
This book richly documents the battles fought by the Anglophone community in Cameroon to safeguard the General Certificate of Education (GCE), a symbol of their cherished colonial heritage from Britain, from attempts by agents of the Ministry of National Education to subvert it. These battles opposed a mobilised and determined Anglophone civil society against numerous machinations by successive Francophone- dominated governments to destroy their much prided educational system in the name of ‘national integration’. When Southern Cameroonians re-united with La République du Cameroun in 1961, they claimed that they were bringing into the union ‘a fine education system’ from which their Francophone compatriots could borrow. Instead, they found themselves battling for decades to save their way of life. Central to their concerns and survival as a community is an urgent need for cultural recognition and representation, of which an educational system free of corruption and trivialisation through politicisation is a key component.
ISBN | 9789956558155 |
Pages | 376 |
Dimensions | 229 x 152 mm |
Published | 2008 |
Publisher | Langaa RPCIG, Cameroon |
Format | Paperback |
2 comments
“… impressively details how repeated attempts by the Ministry of National Education were stoutly resisted and checkmated by the resolute and unanimous will of the Anglophone community… solidly united in one determined resolve, namely, to save the integrity and credibility of the Anglophone Educational system in Cameroon. It was a marvellous, admirable and peaceful demonstration of unity in the cause of the Common Good of all Cameroonian children.″
His Lordship Paul Verdzekov, former Archbishop of the Bamenda Archdiocese
“Running the GCE Board has been a major challenge. Initially, unwilling to accept defeat, Dr. Robert Mbella Mbappe, the minister, put in place one scheme after the other to frustrate the Board, make it fail and then return control of it to the central services of his Ministry.“
Andrew Azong Wara, pioneer Registrar (1993-1997), Cameroon GCE Board