The 2025/2026 school year in Nkambe risked disruption after a violent tornado in June tore down eight classrooms and administrative offices. For a community already grappling with the wider regional conflict that has left many schools shut across the North West, the destruction threatened to keep hundreds of children out of class. The shortage of functional infrastructure was compounded by long-abandoned schools in rural areas like Ngotang, while parents faced added fears of road accidents and poor sanitation as pupils prepared to return.
In response, the Nkambe Council under Mayor Nfor Musa Shey launched a coordinated package of emergency interventions. With support from the Government through the Ministry of Basic Education, eight new classrooms and offices were rapidly approved for reconstruction, while temporary structures ensured no child missed the September reopening. The Council rehabilitated derelict classrooms at Government School Ngotang abandoned for 15 years and donated school bags and books to pupils.
Complementing the infrastructure push, the Mayor mobilised nearly 200 commercial bike riders and drivers for a road safety sensitisation campaign, and led a special municipal clean-up exercise to create a healthier environment for learners. Head teachers also received minimum school packages from the Council to ease the burden on parents and strengthen school readiness.
On September 8, Nkambe witnessed an impressive school resumption, marking it as one of the very few towns outside Bamenda where learning has continued uninterrupted despite ongoing lockdowns enforced by non-state armed groups in the region. Parents and pupils expressed relief as classrooms reopened on time, teachers settled with didactic support, and rural communities like Ngotang regained access to education infrastructure after more than a decade of neglect.
The Fon of Binka and local stakeholders pledged full support to the Mayor and the Council, seeing the interventions as a mojor investment in the future of children in Nkambe. The municipality once again stands out in the North West Region, demonstrating that with determined leadership, education can thrive even in the face of conflict and natural calamity.
By Hilltopvoices Newsroom with reports
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
Tel: 6 94 71 85 77