Cameroon: Government overtakes confssional as numbr one provider of basic education

Government overtakes confessional schools as mean provider of basic education in Cameroon  West of the Mungo.Case study Bui Division.

In the 2014/2015 accademijc year Bui Division had an overall enroolment in primary school -nursery schools not oincluded- enrolment of 65 522 pupils .Of this total public schools had a lion share of 43 804 representing 66.9% of the overrall enrolment.This is likely to be the same trend in all the divisions in the North west and South West regions.

Prior to independence and Reunification basic education in the former west Cameroon -North west and South West Regions- was essentially provided by confessional institutions (Catholics, Presbyterians  and Baptist missions)  This was because the colonial administration had conducted studies which showed that educating the citizens through confessional schools cost the public treasury 70% less than government providing it herself.

This status quo continued to the nineties when Government thanks to the bitter economic crises suspended subvention to confessional schools. The subvention had since return but piece mail. With cost of  education becoming more and more out of reach of average parents.they have no choice but to send children to  public schools.

                           Advantages of confessional schools over public schools

The whole person is trained both in his/her spritual and temporal dimension .This is good  for the individual and the commununity.Generally in Cameroon Anglophones of the older generatjion are  viewed all over Cameroon as generally honest and more reliable citizens.  This can be credihted according to me to the confessional education backgropund of most of them.

Confessional  education is cheaper to the public treasury than  public education.As already stated above , immagine a scenario where Government outsource the entire basic education to the confessional provider , we are talking here of the treasury economising thousand of millions which can be used to other priority areas like roads; portable water supply , building and equiping more hospitals etc etc

Personnel is rationally utilised for more effective results .Confessional schools have generally registered better results than government schools despite the meagre resources put at their dispossal

Most Cameroonians parents will chose confessional education if given a chance than public  scoools

A critical view of the case study of the six council areas of Bui division will reveal that council areas crossed by the Ring road -Jakiri, Kumbo and Nkum-where some petty trading takes place have above divisional average of 31 %.This is the clear indication that  most Cameroonian parents  will go for confessional education for their Children if their opinion were to be soth.

So for rational and optimum utilisation of public resources; for the respect ojf the  general public opinion; Government should increase subvention to confessional institutions and make them partner no one for the provision of at least basic education to Cameroon Children.

Statistics of Basic education in Bui Division
This do not include nursery education
65 522 children were registered in primary schools in Bui accademic year 2014/2015
Primary school enrollment
Gov, Schools	43 804
Confesion, Schools	20 097
Lay Private	1 621
Total	65 522

Weight  per rovider
Gov, Schools	66.9%
Confesion, Schools	30.7%
Lay Private	2.5%
Total	100.0%

Situation per council area

Kumbo l Total Kumbo	13164	Total Kumbo	100.0%
Catholic	4194	Catholic	31.9%
Islamic	1095	Islamic	8.3%
Baptist	694	Baptist	5.3%
Presbyterian	709	Presbyterian	5.4%
Adventist	0	Adventist	0.0%
Total confes	6692	Total confes	50.8%

Total Jakiri	13129	Total Jakiri	100.0%
Catholic	2636	Catholic	20.1%
Islamic	774	Islamic	5.9%
Baptist	290	Baptist	2.2%
Presbyterian	548	Presbyterian	4.2%
Adventist	0	Adventist	0.0%
Total confes	4248	Total confes	32.4%

Total Mbven	8547	Total Mbven	100.0%
Catholic	351	Catholic	4.1%
Islamic	328	Islamic	3.8%
Baptist	147	Baptist	1.7%
Presbyterian	226	Presbyterian	2.6%
Adventist	0	Adventist	0.0%
Total confes	1052	Total confes	12.3%

Total Nkum	8830	Total Nkum	100.0%
Catholic	1876	Catholic	21.2%
Islamic	1060	Islamic	12.0%
Baptist	285	Baptist	3.2%
Presbyterian	1019	Presbyterian	11.5%
Adventist	0	Adventist	0.0%
Total confes	4240	Total confes	48.0%

Total Oku	12455	Total Oku	100.0%
Catholic	1094	Catholic	8.8%
Islamic	0	Islamic	0.0%
Baptist	952	Baptist	7.6%
Presbyterian	173	Presbyterian	1.4%
Adventist	0	Adventist	0.0%
Total confes	2219	Total confes	17.8%

Total Noni	6130	Total Noni	100.0%
Catholic	1039	Catholic	16.9%
Islamic	0	Islamic	0.0%
Baptist	558	Baptist	9.1%
Presbyterian	0	Presbyterian	0.0%
Adventist	49	Adventist	0.8%
Total confes	1646	Total confes	26.9%