Instruction under the Influence of the Double Health and Security Crises (COVID-19) in Bamenda (North-West Cameroon): Adaptive Dynamics and Educational Challenges
The year 2020 challenged previously shared certainties around the world. The COVID-19 health crisis disrupted social, economic, cultural, political, and human life within communities. Schools, a major tool for socialization and the construction of critical capital in modern societies, also suffered from this crisis. In Bamenda, since November 2016, schools have become a means of contesting the republican order due to the actions of separatists. Despite the resilience of certain educational institutions, the coronavirus sounded the alarm for all. The school system has been shaken to its foundations since March 2020, leading to an educational crisis. The digital option was adopted as an alternative support for education. However, this adaptive dynamic faces multiple challenges. This article aims to explore the digital mutation, relying on functionalist and neo-Marxist theories. Data were collected through participant observation, group discussions on three WhatsApp platforms counting 250 students of the University of Bamenda each, 15 individual phone interviews with teachers and administrators from primary, secondary, and higher education institutions in Bamenda, and documentary research. The findings suggest that the COVID-19 crisis, far from sealing the fate of education in Bamenda, has also broadened its perspectives, albeit differentially depending on educational levels. While adapting to the context of the security crisis through digital means, numerous challenges temper the impact.
References
[1]
Akana, P. D. (2020). Confined without Electricity. http://covid-19-cameroon.org/confine-sans-electricite
[2]
Amnesty International (2018). A Tragic Turn: Violence and Human Rights Violations in the English-Speaking Regions of Cameroon. Amnesty International.
[3]
Arendt, H. (2012). The Crisis of Education. In H. Arendt (Ed.), The Human Condition (pp. 743-762). Gallimard.
[4]
Carrière, V. (2013). Differentiated Pedagogy: A Cooperative Process between Teacher and Visually Impaired Student? Sens Public. http://sens-public.org/articles/1030/
[5]
Cayouette-Guilloteau, V. (2016). The Crisis of Education: An Arendtian Perspective on the Situation in Quebec. Doctoral Thesis, University of Laval.
[6]
Chelpi-den Hamer, M., Fresia, M., & Lanoue, É. (2010). Education and Conflicts: The Stakes of Educational Provision in Crisis Situations. Autrepart,54, 3-22. https://doi.org/10.3917/autr.054.0003
[7]
Chiatoh, J., & Chia, J. (2020). The Impact of Conflict on Educational Resilience in Bamenda, Cameroon. Journal of Educational Development, 45, 123-135.
[8]
Depover, C., Karsenti, T., & Kommis, V. (2007). Teaching with Technology: Enhancing Learning and Developing Skills. University of Québec Press.
[9]
Djeumeni Tchamabe, M. (2010). Teachers’ Pedagogical Practices with ICT in Cameroon: Between Public Policies and Techno-Pedagogical Devices; Teacher Competencies and Learner Competencies. Doctoral Thesis, University of Paris-Descartes.
[10]
Durkheim, É. (2013). Education and Sociology. PUF/Quadrige.
[11]
International Monetary Fund (2020). Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Africa. COVID-19: An Unprecedented Threat to Development. International Monetary Fund.
[12]
Kabou, A. (1991). What If Africa Refused Development? L’Harmattan.
[13]
Lamarche, A., & Fox, A. (2019). Denial of Crisis in Cameroon: The Government’s Refusal to Acknowledge Suffering in the NOSO Dissuades Donors. Refugees International.
[14]
Laval, C. (2006). The Two Crises of Education. Revue du MAUSS, 28, 96-115. https://doi.org/10.3917/rdm.028.0096
[15]
Le Boterf, G. (1994). On Competence: An Essay on a Strange Attractor. The Organisation Editions.
[16]
Minang, P. A., & McCall, M. K. (2008). Education in Conflict-Affected Countries: A Comparative Analysis of Afghanistan and Syria. International Journal of Educational Development, 28, 345-356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2007.10.002
[17]
Ngoasong, M. Z. (2018). The Role of Government in Educational Innovation in the Far North Region of Cameroon. African Journal of Educational Studies, 12, 45-60.
[18]
Ngwa, A. (2020). Education in Cameroon: Challenges and Opportunities in Digital Learning. Journal of Education and Practice, 11, 15-22.
[19]
Njiale, P. M. (2006). Crisis of Society, Crisis of School. International Review of Education, 41, 53-63.
[20]
Norwegian Refugee Council (2020). Education in Emergencies: The Case of Afghanistan. NRC.
[21]
Ollong, J. (2015). Equity in Education: Challenges and Opportunities in Cameroon. Cameroon Journal of Education, 10, 78-92.
[22]
Tabuwe, M., Ngu, A., & Tchouankam, J. (2013). Socio-Economic Factors Affecting Access to Education in Rural Cameroon. Journal of Rural Studies, 29, 45-56.
[23]
Taptue, P. C. (2018). Schooling with the XO Mini-Computer in the Face of the Challenge of Effective Pedagogical Supervision: Case of the Basic Education Quality Improvement Project (PAQUEB) in Cameroon. Doctoral Thesis, University of Cergy-Pontoise.
[24]
Taptue, P. C. (2020). The Comeback of E-Learning during Coronavirus. http://covid-19-cameroon.org/la-revanche-du-e-learning-au-cameroun-par-temps-de-coronavirus
[25]
UNESCO & UNHCR (2016). No More Excuses: Provide Education to All Forcibly Displaced People. UNESCO & UNHCR.
[26]
UNESCO (2005). Towards Knowledge Societies. UNESCO.
[27]
UNESCO (2015). A Growing Number of Children and Adolescents Are Out of School as Aid Fails to Meet the Mark. Regional Conference on Education in Sub-Saharan Africa.
[28]
UNESCO (2016). Education 2030: Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action for the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4: Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All. UNESCO.
[29]
UNESCO (2021). Education and Conflict: Lessons from Afghanistan. UNESCO Publishing.
[30]
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) (2020). Humanitarian Needs Overview Cameroon. Humanitarian Programme Cycle 2020.
[31]
Vermander, B. (2020). China: Social Resilience Tested by COVID-19. Revue Études, 7-15. https://www.cairn.info/revue-etudes-2020-4-page-7.htm
[32]
World Bank (2018). Learning in South Sudan: Mobile Education Initiatives for Conflict-Affected Communities. World Bank Group.
