Cameroon hopes for peaceful return to school after decade of separatist boycotts

Children in the Northwest have lost an average of 3.5 years of schooling, while teenage pregnancies have spiked by 45 per cent since the war began in 2016. Armed groups have attacked at least 75 schools and abducted over 150 staff.

Church leaders in Cameroon demanded a peaceful return to school for pupils after years of disruption by separatist militants.

Ahead of the start of the 2026/27 academic year on 7 September, the apostolic nuncio to said that “preventing children from going to school is utterly diabolical.”

Separatists in Cameroon’s English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions have historically made school boycotts a cornerstone of their strategy, and in 10 years of fighting have attacked teachers and pupils who reported to school.

These attacks resulted in the closure of over 6,000 schools closed and more than 800,000 children affected. According to Save the Children, children in the Northwest have lost an average of 3.5 years of schooling, while teenage pregnancies have spiked by 45 per cent.

Human Rights Watch notes that armed groups have attacked at least 75 schools and abducted over 150 staff since the war began in 2016.

However, ahead of the new school year several separatist groups backed the bishops’ efforts for pupils and actively campaigned for a peaceful return to school.

“Violence is never acceptable. Let that be quite clear,” said Archbishop José Avelino Bettencourt, apostolic nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, in a statement last week. “As the new school year begins, our thoughts go to the most vulnerable members of our community, the children.”

Bishop George Nkuo of Kumbo, the area at the centre of separatist violence, echoed the nuncio’s concerns, insisting the right to education is non-negotiable: “The man who turns his back to education invites poverty into his household,” he said.

The bishop described harrowing conditions in Kumbo, with life blighted by kidnappings, torture and military checkpoints, driving many residents to flee, but also pointed to evidence of resilience.

On 30 August he celebrated Mass for the Samba Action Group, a church organisation launching “Giving Someone a Future” to sponsor underprivileged school pupils. Despite the dangers, Bishop Nkuo praised the group for modelling Christian values and understanding that education is indispensable.

Separatist factions, historically united in enforcing boycotts, are offering mixed but largely hopeful signals. The Ambazonia Governing Council and the Interim Government have called for the unconditional return of children to school.

John Mbah Akuroh of The Consortium, a civil society group, emphasized the shift: “We don’t do school boycotts anymore. We need our children back in school.”

Archbishop Bettencourt concluded his appeal by affirming that education is key to a peaceful future. “Children are a blessing from God. Children are the future,” he said.

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