Geneses and Transitory Hallmarks of Education Boards in Southern/West Cameroon, 1954-1972
Keywords:
Boards, decentralization, Education, hallmark, management, Southern Cameroons, West Cameroon, transitory
Abstract
The Southern Cameroons Education Board created in 1954 and transformed to the West Cameroon Education Board in 1961, was appropriated within a post-colonial context of divergent perspectives to educational management. Such diversity in perceptions though discordant, is depictive of the dichotomy in the colonial experiences of the regions presently conterminous with the French-speaking and English-speaking sections of contemporary Cameroon. This paper uses primary and secondary data to analyze the foundations and transient profile of the education board. The paper reveals that the foundation of Education Boards in Southern Cameroons and later West Cameroon imposed a new orientation to educational management reflective of the British/Nigerian experiences. However, Reunification introduced new exigencies in education policy making such as Indigenization, Harmonization, Bilingualism and Ruralisation. Attempts made by the West Cameroon Education Board to adapt to the changing times was rather perceived differently by the Federal Government. In its struggle for survival, sound traditions and practices of the inherited English subsystem of Education Boards gained roots in the mind of a majority of inhabitants in present day North West and South West Regions of Cameroo
References
Primary Sources
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[4] National Archives Buea, Education: Harmonization of Structures and Syllabuses, Sb/a (1965).
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[40] Ngoh, V.J. Southern Cameroons 1922-1961: A Constitutional History. Burlington: Ashgate, 2001.
[41] Ngwene, John. An Introduction to the Cameroon Educational System. Bamenda: Mella Press, 1990.
[42] Obanya, Pai. “Culture-in-education and education-in-culture”, A paper presented at the fifth Conference of African Ministers of Culture, Nairobi (2005).
[43] Podesta, A. Edward. Education and Manpower, Volume VII of: The Economic Potential of West Cameroon priorities for Development. California: Stanford Research Institute, 1965.
[44] Rudin, Harry. Germans in the Cameroons 1884-1914: A case study in Modern Imperialism. New Haven: Yale University press, 1938.
[45] Tambo, L.I. “Strategic Concerns in Curriculum Development for Cameroon Schools”, In Educational Development in Cameroon, 1961-1999 (eds.) T.M. Ndongko and L.I. Tambo. Platteville: Nkemnji Global Tech, 2000.
[46] Tatto, T. Maria. “Education Reform and State Power in Mexico: The Paradoxes of Decentralization”, Comparative Education Review 43, No.3 (1999):251-282.
[47] Torrent, Melanie. Diplomacy and Nation-Building in Africa: Franco-British Relations and Cameroon at the End of Empire. London/New York: I.B. Tauris, 2012.
[48] UNESCO. Cameroonian Education Planning Group: Report drawn up on return of the first mission, 10th March-20th May, 1962. Paris: UNESCO, 1962.
[49] Vernon-Jackson, Huge. “Schools and school systems in Cameroon, 1884-1961”. PhD thesis, Columbia University, 1968.
[50] World Bank Report. 1997. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
[51] Yaro, Loveline. “Post-Colonial Curriculum Policies and Implentation Trends in Cameroon”. PhD thesis, University of Buea, 2016.
[52] Yembe, W. Omer. “Harmonization Commission for Secondary School Programmes”. General Report, Part I, Social Studies and Language, Yaoundé, 1971.
[53] Yongho, N. Nichodemus. History and Philosophy of Education of the Cameroon System. Bamenda: Graphics Printers, 2007.
[1] National Archives Buea, Address of the Hon. Minister of Social Services to the Board of Education meeting on 22 February 1960.
[2] National Archives Buea, Annual Report of the Education Department, Sb (1959) 1.
[3] National Archives Buea, Board of Education, Report of the Timetable sub-committee of the Southern Cameroons, Sb/a (1956) 6, 138.
[4] National Archives Buea, Education: Harmonization of Structures and Syllabuses, Sb/a (1965).
[5] National Archives Buea, West Cameroon Board of Education, Sb/a (1963) 4: File No.P385/S.2 of 12th February 1963.
[6] HMSO. “Terms of reference for advisory committee on Native Education in British Tropical Africa”, In Education policy in British Tropical Africa. Great Britain, March 1925.
[7] Ministry of Education and Social Welfare, “Address by the Secretary of State, the Hon. L.M. Ndamukong at the opening of the Bamenda Domestic Science Refresher Course”, West Cameroon Teacher’s Journal 2, No.4(1964): 8.
[8] Ministry of Education and Social Welfare, West Cameroon Education Policy; Investment in Education (Buea: Government Press, 1963).
[9] Ayukeba, George. Aged 67, ex-pupil of government school Mamfe. Interviewed by Gopte Caleb Animbom at Bonadikombo-Limbe, 15 April 2018
[10] Ngonangie, Augustine. Aged 81, retired secondary school teacher. Interviewed by Gopte Caleb Animbom at Bambui, March 2018
[11] Tang, Tasi Lucas. Aged 72, former Deputy Director of Examinations in MINEDUC. Interviewed by Gopte Caleb Animbom at Mile 3-Bamenda, 28 March 2018.
Secondary Sources
[12] Aka, A. Emmanuel. The British Southern Cameroons, 1922-1961: A study in colonialism and underdevelopment. Platteville/Maddison: Nkemnji Global Tech, 2002.
[13] Altbach, P.G. “The distribution of knowledge in the Third World: A case study in neocolonisation”, In Education and Colonial Experience. New Brunswick, 1984.
[14] Amin, Martin. “Report on the demand for primary education in Cameroon 1980-1995”, In World Bank Study (1997).
[15] Besong, B. Joseph. Educational Management Perspectives for Students and Practitioners in Cameroon. Limbe: Presprint plc, 2016.
[16] Calloids, Francois. In preface; Decentralization of education: why, when, what and how? (eds) McGinn, Noel and Welsh, Thomas. Paris: UNESCO, 1999.
[17] Chikoko, Vitalis. “Educational decentralization in Zimbabwe and Malawi: A study of decisional location and process”, International Journal of Educational Decentralization 29, No.3 (2009).
[18] Courade, C. & Courade, G. Education in Anglophone Cameroon 1915-1975. Yaoundé: ONAREST, 1977.
[19] Ejedepang-Koge, S.N. In the Service of People: My Roots–An Autobiography. USA: Xlibris, 2013.
[20] Eyongetah, T. and Brain, R. A History of the Cameroons. Essex: Longman Group Limited, 1974.
[21] Fanfunwa, Babatunde. A history of education in Nigeria. London: Allen and Unwin, 1974.
[22] Fanso, V.G. Cameroon History for secondary schools and colleges vol 2: the colonial and post-colonial periods. London: Macmillan, 1989.
[23] Fonkeng, E. George. The History of Education in Cameroon 1844-2010. Bamenda: Maryland Printers, 2010.
[24] Fonlon, N. Bernard “Language Problem in Cameroon: A Historical Perspective”, ABBIA 5 No.1 (1969):49.
[25] Fonlon, N.B. “We Will Make or Mar?” Cameroon Cultural Review, ABBIA No.1 (1964):11-12.
[26] Gopte, A. Caleb. “Education Boards in Southern-West Cameroon(s), 1954-1972: A Quest for an Educational Identity”. M.A. Dissertation, University of Bamenda, 2020.
[27] Gwanfogbe, M.B. Changing Regimes and Educational Development in Cameroon. Bamenda: Unique Printers, 2006.
[28] Gwanfogbe, M.B. “Africa’s triple education heritage: a historical comparison”, In Handbook of African Educational Theories and Practices: A Generative Teacher Education curriculum (eds.) Bame Nsamenang and Therese Tchombe. Bamenda: HDRC, 2011.
[29] Hawkins, J.N. “Centralization, Decentralization, recentralization: Educational reform in China”, Journal of Educational Administration 38, No.5 (2000):447.
[30] Ihims, A. Jacob. A Century of Western Education in Cameroon: A Study of its History and Administration, 1844-1961. Bamenda: Unique Printers, 2003.
[31] Ikoya, O. Peter “Decentralization of educational development reforms in Nigeria: a comparative perspective”, Journal of Education 45, No.2 (2007).
[32] Konings, Piet & Nyamnjoh, B. Francis. Negotiating an Anglophone Identity: A Study of the Politics of Recognition and Representation in Cameroon. Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2003.
[33] Moumouni, A. history of education in Africa. London: Andre Deutsch Ltd, 1968.
[34] Mukete, E. Victor. My Odyssey: The story of Cameroon Reunification-With Authentic Letters of Key Players. Yaoundé: Eagle Publishing, 2013.
[35] Ndi, Anthony. Southern-West Cameroonns Revisited (1950-1972) volume one: Unveiling Inescapable Traps. Bamenda: Langaa Research and Publishing CIG, 2014.
[36] Ndi, A. The Golden Age of Southern Cameroons: Vital Lessons for Cameroon. Denver: Spears Media Press, 2016.
[37] Ndille, Roland. “From Adaptation to Ruralisation in Cameroon Education Policy, 1922-2002: Replacing six with half a dozen”, African Educational Research Journal 3, No.3 (2015):153.
[38] Ngalim, V.B. Critical Thinking in Education: An Introduction to Philosophy of Education in the African Context. Yaoundé: EBARV PRINT CORPORATION, 2015.
[39] Ngalim, V.B. “Revisiting the Political Will in Educational Development: The Case of Cameroon, https://www.academia.edu, accessed on 29 April 2021 at 2:45am.
[40] Ngoh, V.J. Southern Cameroons 1922-1961: A Constitutional History. Burlington: Ashgate, 2001.
[41] Ngwene, John. An Introduction to the Cameroon Educational System. Bamenda: Mella Press, 1990.
[42] Obanya, Pai. “Culture-in-education and education-in-culture”, A paper presented at the fifth Conference of African Ministers of Culture, Nairobi (2005).
[43] Podesta, A. Edward. Education and Manpower, Volume VII of: The Economic Potential of West Cameroon priorities for Development. California: Stanford Research Institute, 1965.
[44] Rudin, Harry. Germans in the Cameroons 1884-1914: A case study in Modern Imperialism. New Haven: Yale University press, 1938.
[45] Tambo, L.I. “Strategic Concerns in Curriculum Development for Cameroon Schools”, In Educational Development in Cameroon, 1961-1999 (eds.) T.M. Ndongko and L.I. Tambo. Platteville: Nkemnji Global Tech, 2000.
[46] Tatto, T. Maria. “Education Reform and State Power in Mexico: The Paradoxes of Decentralization”, Comparative Education Review 43, No.3 (1999):251-282.
[47] Torrent, Melanie. Diplomacy and Nation-Building in Africa: Franco-British Relations and Cameroon at the End of Empire. London/New York: I.B. Tauris, 2012.
[48] UNESCO. Cameroonian Education Planning Group: Report drawn up on return of the first mission, 10th March-20th May, 1962. Paris: UNESCO, 1962.
[49] Vernon-Jackson, Huge. “Schools and school systems in Cameroon, 1884-1961”. PhD thesis, Columbia University, 1968.
[50] World Bank Report. 1997. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
[51] Yaro, Loveline. “Post-Colonial Curriculum Policies and Implentation Trends in Cameroon”. PhD thesis, University of Buea, 2016.
[52] Yembe, W. Omer. “Harmonization Commission for Secondary School Programmes”. General Report, Part I, Social Studies and Language, Yaoundé, 1971.
[53] Yongho, N. Nichodemus. History and Philosophy of Education of the Cameroon System. Bamenda: Graphics Printers, 2007.
Published
2021-05-07
How to Cite
[1]
Takor, N.K. and Gopte, C.A. 2021. Geneses and Transitory Hallmarks of Education Boards in Southern/West Cameroon, 1954-1972. International Journal on Integrated Education. 4, 5 (May 2021), 371-386. DOI:https://doi.org/10.17605/ijie.v4i5.1802.
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Copyright (c) 2021 Nixon Kahjum Takor
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