Fire they say is a good servant but a bad master. Following the shutting down of many schools in the restive two English speaking regions of Cameroon by proponents of Ambazonia independence to enforce school boycott so that the state will quickly yield to their independence quest, many school buildings especially those in rural areas have remained deserted.
Before, the separatists fighters were accused of burning down schools. The practice later subsided but of recent school buildings have again started catching fire. We are in the dry season, a period when most persons take pleasure in burning bushes. Ironically, administrative areas like Up Station in Bamenda and Government Residential Area (G.R.A) Mbengwi are often the first areas to be burnt right to the surroundings of buildings hosting ministerial delegations like environment, nature protection and sustainable development.
 |
| Mr. Foncham Elias, Principal, GBHS Mbengwi Assessing Damage Caused by Bushfire in his School |
Consequently, hundreds of school structures are now in the wild and in most cases, grass has grown taller than the buildings that are now occupied by rodents. According to a BBC report, "The United Nations Children's Fund, Unicef, says the ban on education has affected about 600,000 children, with more than 80% of schools shut and at least 74 schools destroyed in the troubled regions."
On the Friday the 14th of February 2020, part of Government Bilingual High School (GBHS) Mbengwi was burnt down. Bushfire set from afar had to encroach right to the school campus and engulfed part of the buildings. The school has for over two years now been deserted; no teachers, no students, only a couple of security guards. Days after the incidence, pictures of the school principal, Mr. Foncham Elias Kimbeng evaluating the damage caused appeared on social media.
 |
Part of CCAST Bambili in Flames |
Not long after this fire incidence, another one occurred. On Monday February 17th, part of Cameroon College of Arts, Science and Technology (CCAST) Bambili also got consumed by a bush fire that stemmed from nearby. If not of the collective efforts of inhabitants around the area and the fire fighting brigade that drove in from Bamenda to contain the flames, the entire structure would've been down.
These two latest reported incidences depict the danger awaiting most of the deserted school buildings surrounded by thick, tall grasses and trees. Day by day, bushfires are being set here and there and considering that most schools are located in isolated areas, it is feared more are still to be burnt and villagers may only discover the damage days after.
 |
| Deserted Government Primary School, Wumsom in Mbengwi Risks Being Burnt |
To prevent such from further occurrences, while waiting for a full resumption of schools and functioning as before the crisis, for the time being, villagers should be encouraged to farm around school buildings. Though created on paper by government, most of these school sites were allocated by the communities and structures erected still by them through Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs). Thus same community efforts must be implored to safeguard the buildings.
The villagers should mobilise themselves and clear the school surroundings or labour should be hired to do so. The government too should seat up and put in place preventive measures to secure her schools probably by contracting workers to clear round all government schools in the two regions. The population needs to be more vigilante and immediately raise an alarm in case a school building is being engulfed by flames. Sensitization talks on the disadvantages of burning bushes should be intensified and culprits brought to book to serve as lesson to deter others from destroying the environment.
No comments:
Post a Comment