Cameroon being a bilingual country has two unique educational systems, that is the Anglo-Saxon system of education and the French system of education. Both systems have their peculiarities, which according to commissioners of the educational system of the Major national dialogue that held from September 30 to October 4, 2019 at the Yaounde                            Conference Centre, should be protected. The Committee chaired by Prof Dorothy Njeuma, Board member of the Electoral Board of Elections Cameroon, deliberated on conserving the educational subsystems of Cameroon with commissioners making several recommendations to that effect. 

The committee members recommended the protection of the strengths of each of the subsystems so as to enable Cameroonians excel outside the country. “Ensure that educational reforms integrate the need to keep the two educational systems afloat, buoyant and futuristic, recognizing the unique strengths and specificities of each subsystem, building on the strengths of each one to train well rounded and excellent Cameroonian graduates who will excel wherever they go,” reads one of the resolutions of the committee. 

Teachers Trade Unions

Besides protecting the two unique educational systems, Commissioners equally recommended adequate collaboration between government and Teachers Trade Unions as well as regulating the proliferation of these unions to synergy. “Ensure that Teachers Trade Unions should work in collaboration with the government.  Regulate the proliferation of Teachers Trade Unions and promote better organisation of the Trade Unions to ensure synergy from the regional to national level,” proposes the committee. In their explanations, the committee members hold that should there exist a wonderful cooperation between authorities and the trade unions, and the protection of the identities of each of the subsystems of education in the country, then the educational system in general would be more amazing. 

The commissioners, it should be noted, deliberated on improving the educational system in Cameroon with focus on the Anglo-Saxon system of education as highlighted by teachers of English expression in November 2016 as they presented their grievances. Before the major national dialogue, the President of the Republic had ordered for the special recruitment of 1,000 bilingual teachers in educational establishments across the country, together with other initiatives adopted at safeguarding the educational subsystems of Cameroon.