Out-of-school education in Cameroon: A pillar of development

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Out-of-school education in Cameroon: A pillar of development

Introduction

Out-of-school education in Cameroon plays a crucial role in the holistic development of youth and adults. Complementing formal education, it offers a multitude of opportunities for learning and personal fulfillment. This article explores the different aspects of extracurricular education in Cameroon, highlighting its importance, its actors and its challenges.

Importance of out-of-school education

Out-of-school education is critically important for several reasons:

Psychosocial skills development: It enables young people to acquire life-critical skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem solving and decision making.
Personal development: It offers young people a space for expression and creativity, thus promoting their personal development and well-being.
Prevention of social scourges: It helps to combat idleness, juvenile delinquency and other social scourges by offering young people healthy and constructive activities.
Complement to formal education: It strengthens academic achievements and offers additional training in various fields.
Promotion of citizenship: It instills in young people the values of citizenship, tolerance and mutual respect, thus contributing to the construction of a more just and peaceful society.

Actors in out-of-school education

Out-of-school education in Cameroon involves a variety of actors:

Government: The Ministry of Youth and Civic Education (MINJEC) is the institution in charge of the coordination and supervision of extracurricular education.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Many NGOs are involved in the field of out-of-school education, offering programmes and activities in various fields.
Youth associations: They play an important role in the animation and supervision of young people in extracurricular activities.
Local communities: They are an essential pillar for the implementation and success of extracurricular education programmes.

Challenges of out-of-school education

Despite its importance, out-of-school education in Cameroon faces many challenges:

Lack of financial resources: Funding for out-of-school education is often insufficient, limiting the development of large-scale programmes and activities.
Lack of infrastructure: Lack of adequate infrastructure, such as education and leisure centres, is a major obstacle to out-of-school education.
Low parental involvement: The low involvement of parents in the out-of-school education of their children is a barrier to its development.
Lack of coach training: Lack of coach training can affect the quality of extracurricular education programs and activities.

Conclusion

Out-of-school education is an essential pillar of Cameroon’s development. Despite the challenges it faces, it offers immense potential for the development of young people and adults. It is therefore crucial to mobilize all stakeholders to strengthen and sustain extra-curricular education in Cameroon.