Society

Education: Plan International Cameroon Advocates for an Increase in Budget Allowances

A one-day regional workshop to sensitize and advocate for the increase of budget allowances in the education sector has been launched on March 18, 2022 in Yaounde.

Yaounde, Cameroon’s nation capital hosted on Friday 18th March 2022, a one-day regional workshop that focused on sensitizing and advocating for an increase in the budget allowances in the education sector.

The move carried forward by Plan International Cameroon had as target participants local elected officials from the center region of the country.

The close to 20 participants selected from councils were drilled on inclusive budgeting and on why they need to include in their various local budgets the education of the girlchild and vulnerable groups.

Plan International Cameroon’s Avenir Project Manager, Mrs. Ongtokono Paule, in her speech unveiled essential issues surrounding the said project and its major stakes and challenges.

As underscored by Mrs. Ongtokono Paule, one of the main objectives that seeks Plan International Cameroon through the current strategy, is to facilitate access to inclusive and quality education for girls, vulnerable children, children excluded and those at risk of exclusion in emergency situations.

She said with regards to emerging health, humanitarian, socio-economic and security crises affecting Cameroon, the social sectors have witnessed cuts in resources allocated to them amidst the inflating needs of people. Reason why, local councils have to take on the lead in these important sectors notably by favouring an increase in the education sector as she outlined in her key note address.

She added that, thanks to government’s efforts and many partners, access, quality and governance of education have witnessed a change, yet there is still much to be undertaken. Paule Ongtokono equallystressed on the fact that, the rate of achievement of school in the primary level is estimated at 70% in general with an estimate of 66.4% for girls.

The initiative that comes at a moment several calls and campaigns have been launched nationwide has been praised by civil society organizations like the Cameroon Education for all Network, CEFAN currently leading the same fight in line with the Sustainable Development Goal number 4, laying emphasis on achieving inclusive and quality education for all.

Regional coordinator of CEFAN in the Center region, Francois Nkeumi said: “This gathering helps us to meet face to face various stakeholders who are involved in our advocacy move aimed at increasing the budget allowances of the education sector and it also paves the way for us to highlight the importance of improving the education of the girlchild, people and children living with disabilities in the Center region. If this type of encounter is spread all over the country, it will impact greatly on this advocacy launched by Plan International Cameroon and partners like CEFAN…”

Speaking on behalf of the Governor of the center region, Andre Eyebe Eyebe, Head of the police and administrative organization’s division at the governor’s services has outlined the fact that Cameroon is faced with the challenge of ensuring quality education to all boys and girls by 2030 in abid to achieve its sustainable development goals’ road map. The government has put in place a series of incentives and education policies in order to adhere to SDG number 4.

The holding of such workshops by Plan International Cameroon is timely as he said in his key note address. Mayors, municipal councilors and other local development partners involved in the decentralization process have been called on to act as main facilitators in the field for the effective and concrete actions in terms of education of the pupils.

Andre Eyebe Eyebe equally praised the efforts made so far by of all organizations engaged in the protection of children in Cameroon and requested for a massive support of government’s actions.

Elise Kenimbeni

Laisser un commentaire

Votre adresse e-mail ne sera pas publiée. Les champs obligatoires sont indiqués avec *