Schools In Cameroon Research Articles

The Perceptions of School Counsellors about Their Training and Its Influence on Their Practice in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Cameroon

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to examine the perceptions of school counsellors about their training and its influence on practice in selected public secondary schools in Cameroon. The study aimed at examining the effects of counsellors’ perceptions on practice. Materials and Methods: The concurrent nested mixed-method research design was used. Quantitative data was collected through descriptive survey with the aid of a questionnaire while qualitative data was collected using an interview guide. A sample of 249 randomly selected school counsellors were recruited from secondary schools in Mezam and Mfoundi Divisions of Cameroon. Findings: Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools; frequency counts, graphs, percentages and the Pearson test and regression analysis was used to test hypotheses. Thematic analysis with the aid of themes and quotations was used for qualitative data. Findings showed a positive and strong influence between counsellors’ perceptions of training and their practice (R-value=0.637**, P-value=0.000<0.05). Implications are that the quality of training being offered to counsellors be intensified and improved. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: It was recommended that school counsellors be trained to be multiskilled, the training be intensified with emphasis on practicum; appropriate and adequate programs are organized and appropriately delivered by those who master the content at divisional and regional levels for counsellors to upgrade their skills.

Juvenile Delinquency: The Rise of Moral Decadence in Cameroon Schools

In this paper, we point out the fundamental causes of moral decadence in Cameroon schools by juveniles and seek the extent to which such moral decadence has on the future of Cameroon. As human rights and technology continues to reshape the society, this article states that the application of laws following children rights and western cultures without considering the culture of the people of Cameroon as far as education is concerned is inherent to human condemnation. The implementations of such laws and cultures affected our students and they portray immoral acts such as fighting, smoking, sex party and beating of teachers in secondary schools. In Cameroon, the school is a center of formation and a child learns with a cane. So, taken away the canes from the teachers destroy the teaching culture of Cameroon which is a succinct way to discipline a child. The teacher who is the actor of formation has a formative tune through the cane to fight against acts of moral decadence particularly that of drugs and sex party. The formative punishment is required in our schools via the use of canes by teachers. This human condemnation has future consequences that will emerge probably. In this article, we advanced some methods that can be used to return a peaceful citadel of learning in our schools and the society. The study emphasizes the significance of moral values in school.

Measuring Panic as a Facet of Anxiety on Students’ Oral and Written Assessment in The University of Bamenda, Cameroon

Aim: The growing concern about the declining academic performance of students in Cameroon schools and colleges provokes varied reflections on the possible factors. One, but less obvious issue is anxiety, manifested in forms like agitation, excessive worrying, restlessness, and panic. While these variants are all critical in appreciating the connections with classroom assessment, this paper primarily isolates and focuses on panic, given its common visible expression among students. Specifically, the paper centers on how panic affects the performance of students in oral and written classroom assessments at the University of Bamenda.
 Methods: Systematic random and purposive sampling techniques were used to select 327 second-year students from the Faculty of Arts, Higher Teacher Training College, and the Faculty of Science to participate in the study. A sequential explanatory research design aided by a structured questionnaire, interview, and observation was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the likelihood ratio test was used to test the hypothesis. 
 Results: The findings showed that panic has a high significant effect on students’ performance in assessment (Chi-square = 232.054, df = 60, P = 0.000, far <0.05).
 Conclusion: The findings indicated, among others, that when students exhibit panic during assessments, they lose concentration, forget what they studied, easily make errors, and experience disorganized speech, especially during oral assessments.
 Recommendation: To reduce this type of anxiety during assessment, there is a need for intensive rehearsals before assessment, the avoidance of panic triggers, especially from invigilators, and fairness in time allocation for both oral and written assessments.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of contraceptive methods among students in public and private high schools in Cameroon

ABSTRACT The use of contraceptive methods is still a controversial subject in the societies of developing countries. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of contraceptive methods among students, aged 15 to 25 years, in public and private schools in the district of Bonaberi, Douala, Cameroon. This research was modeled on the pattern of descriptive study. The population in this study was composed of students (N = 1649) from the five public and private high schools of Bonaberi, Cameroon. The sample size of this study was 379 students. These data were collected in person by the researcher between 1 and 30, June 2022. The data collection tools are the student information form, the Knowledge and Practices of Contraceptive Methods Questionnaire, and the Contraceptive Attitude Scale (CAS). The data of this study were analyzed using descriptive statistics tests, Kruskal–Wallis Test, Pearson Chi-Square, Kolmogorov-Smirnoff, Student’s T-Test, Mann–Whitney Test, and the One-way ANOVA. It was found that almost half (45.91 percent) of students were 19–22 years old, 59.1 percent of them were male, and almost half (49.3 percent) of them were sexually active. Currently, the male condom is the most commonly used and known method of contraception among students. It was determined that students take an average of 3.406 points from the total score of CAS. This result indicated a positive attitude toward contraceptive methods. There were no statistically significant differences in contraceptive attitudes according to gender, religion, or sexual activity. There was a statistically significant difference in contraceptive attitudes according to marital status and age. It is recommended to provide family planning counseling services in these schools in order to increase the use of effective methods and provide students with a reliable source of information on contraceptive methods.

The Typologization of the Beliefs of History Teachers in Planning the Teaching-Learning of History in Secondary Schools in Cameroon

The question the identification of key beliefs in the teaching-learning history is relevant. However, if the typology of beliefs exists in the educational files, it faces an uneven development of the littrature. Many studies have deepened the typologization of epistemological beliefs as well as the typologization of psychological and pedagogical beliefs which remains fallow in Cameroon. Hence the following reseach question: what beliefs do history teachers believe? This article focuses on the study of the typologization of programming of teaching-learning of history. To meet this objective, an exploratory-descrpitive reseach combining a quantitative component and qualitative component was carried out, involving 65 teachers and 160 educational sheets. In order to type the beliefs of the teachers in planing of teaching –learning, we asssociated the questionnaire, individual interview and documentary analysis which only made it possible to triangulate the data but also to reach the empirical saturation. Data revealed positive beliefs in history reaching –learning. This result summons teachers to a triple vigilance: constructivist epistemological vigilance, constructivist pedagogical vigilance, constructivist psychological vigilance.

Noncommunicable diseases behavioural risk factors among secondary school adolescents in Urban Cameroon

Adolescence is a crucial period for noncommunicable disease (NCD) risk factors, and interventions to reduce the NCD burden must target this age group. This study aimed to evaluate the NCD behavioural risk factors in adolescents attending state secondary schools in an urban setting in Cameroon. We conducted a cross-sectional survey using adapted structured questionnaires to assess the prevalence and correlates of NCD behavioural risk factors among adolescents attending selected urban state secondary schools in Douala IV, one of the six subdivisions in Douala, Cameroon. Of the 645 students who completed the study questionnaires, half of them did not have adequate knowledge about NCDs and their risk factors. Only 20% met recommended physical activity levels, nearly half lived sedentary lifestyles, and only 7% ate a healthy diet. Almost half of all participants reported drinking alcohol during the month, while 3% reported cigarette smoking. Participants with inadequate knowledge of NCDs were more likely to have elevated blood pressure values, and males had increased odds of high blood pressure. Contrarily, being male appeared to be protective against overweight and obesity. The odds of being sedentary decreased with age, and the odds of alcohol drinking seemed to grow with a higher maternal level of education. Our survey shows inadequate knowledge about NCDs and a high prevalence of NCD behavioural risk factors in adolescents in urban state secondary schools in Cameroon. These findings predict a higher NCD burden in future adults in the country, reinforcing the need for urgent public health interventions, especially regarding knowledge and sedentary living. Further research is needed to establish the transition of adolescent risk factors to adult disease through life course approaches in these settings.

Teacher Preparation and the Implementation of Official Bilingualism in Anglophone Primary Schools in Cameroon: A Study of Some Teacher Training Colleges in the Buea Municipality

Since the reunification of the two Cameroons in 1961, successive modes of application of official bilingualism have been adopted geared toward empowering every child leaving school with communication competencies in English and French. Despite the noble intentions, the pedagogic implications of the implementation remain uncertain. With the current Anglophone crisis, the much talked about ‘living together’ is threatened by a linguistic divide which, undeniably, has a huge toll on the cultural heritage of the two linguistic communities in the country. One wonders why after more than half a century; official bilingualism is not yet a living reality among school leavers. In teacher training institutions responsible for laying the foundation for the achievement of the policy, language curriculum still leaves much to be desired. This research investigates teacher preparation as a crucial link in implementing the official bilingualism policy in Anglophone primary schools. It focuses on language curriculum as the basis for teacher training to establish its adequacy in the achievement of official bilingualism. The paper examines official bilingualism in the professional preparation of teachers in some public, confessional and lay private teacher training institutions in the Buea municipality of the South West Region of Cameroon. The findings reveal that, though most teachers have a good working experience of over 10 years, their deficient bilingualism levels do not reflect effectiveness in bilingualism teaching. They cannot plan, implement and evaluate French and bilingualism training lessons. They lack exposure in terms of content knowledge and pedagogic skills and have limited time allocation for bilingual training. Finally, teachers do not master the French language subject matter they are expected to teach.

Implementation of the Clean School: Challenges and Prospects in the Far North Region’s Secondary Schools in Cameroon

The implementation of the clean schools remains a global interest in 21st-century secondary schools. To make the world a more sustainable and better place to live in, humanity needs to be able to generate solutions to increasingly complex, and ever-growing challenges in the secondary school setting. Secondary schools encounter day-after-day violence linked happenings students. Violence has caused secondary school unrest, refusal to undertake various activities, sitting in and at other instances, complete damage of institutional assets, and in other instances, death. Other reasons that led to drug abuse included social pressure from the media, frustrations due to poverty, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, need to relax and overcome boredom, among others. This research sought to develop prevention and intervention strategies for curbing violence in public secondary schools in the Far North Region of Cameroon. The objective of the study is to find out various ways and means used by secondary school management to implement the clean school concept in public secondary schools. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 10 participants both inspectors, teachers, and principals in public secondary schools. The study indicated that the effects of drug abuse include addiction, violence, and high-risk sexual behavior. To minimize and eliminate violence the school to educate, guide, and counsel the students, and school management should reward staff that promote the clean school implementation. The study recommended that to implement clean schools every category such as parents, teachers, and administrators should be concerned and keep the focus on the things that bring honor and success to them and the school. All staff in the school should give constant and continuous guidance to students.

Development and implementation of a nutrition education programme for school-going adolescents in the context of double burden of malnutrition: a narrative essay.

The early prevention of non-communicable diseases in Cameroon schools program was initiated in 2018 to address the alarming trend of obesity among adolescents through a nutrition education intervention aimed at increasing knowledge on nutrition and the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity. The program included: school surveys to document eating habits and health-risky behaviors in students, the development of a training curriculum, training and sensitization sessions for school staff, school vendors and students, and advocacy meetings with parliamentarians and mayors. We carried out a quasi-experimental study to assess the effect of the intervention on the student's knowledge and eating behavior three months after the training sessions. We compared the knowledge of a sample of students from five schools that were part of the program (IG) to that of students that were not (CG). The mean (±SD) score was 14.4/20 (±2.1) and 9.7/20 (±2.7) for IG and CG, respectively (p<0.001). Those who scored above 12/20 accounted for 89.8% of IG vs 23.8% of CG (p<0.001). Other significant achievements of this program are the amendment of the National School Hygiene Policy to include compulsory training in food hygiene and nutrition education for school canteen vendors and the integration of nutrition education sensitization sessions into the routine activities of school healthcare. The study showed that a well-structured multi-sectoral nutritional education program could be the bedrock to improve healthy nutrition among adolescents, thereby serving as a vehicle for non-communicable disease prevention.

Oral pathology and overweight among pupils in government primary schools in Cameroon: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundTooth decay and periodontal diseases are the main oral pathologies in the world. The prevalence of overweight in children has increased worldwide. Overweight children have alterations in the composition of saliva and excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids tend to slow the metabolism of carbohydrates in the oral cavity leading to tooth decay, periodontal disease and others oral disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between oral pathologies and overweight in pupils of primary schools of Cameroon.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out from June to August 2020 in four government primary schools selected through cluster sampling in Yaounde. 650 pupils aged between 6 and 11 years were enrolled. Data collected included anthropometric, oral pathologies, quality of oral hygiene and feeding habits. Data were analysed with the SPSS 26.0 statistical software and binary logistic regression was used to determine the risks of oral pathologies in overweight pupils. P-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsThe prevalence of overweight was 27% (95% CI: 23.5—30.5). The main oral pathologies was tooth decay (60.3%). Binary logistic regression revealed that overweight pupils were significantly 1.5 times more likely to develop tooth decay than non-overweight pupils (95% CI: 1.1—2.4).ConclusionOverweight, tooth decay are prevalent among pupils. Overweight pupils have a higher risk of developing tooth decay compared to non-obese pupils. An integrated package of oral and nutritional health promotion activities is necessary in primary schools in Cameroon.

Relational Victimisation and the Psychosocial Maladjustment of Adolescents in Secondary Schools in Cameroon

Relational Victimisation and the Psychosocial Maladjustment of Adolescents in Secondary Schools in Cameroon

Principal Leadership Styles and its Effects on School Performances in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Cameroon

Principal Leadership Styles and its Effects on School Performances in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Cameroon

Promoting Healthy School Climates in Public Secondary Schools in the South West Region, Cameroon: Role of Parents’ Participation in Decision Making Process

Maintaining healthy and facilitating school climates constitute one of the greatest challenges faced by educational authorities in recent times. In Cameroon like others countries in the world, the government and education partners have been investing enormous energy to ensure that school environment are safe for all and conducive for teaching and learning. This study investigated the impact of parents’ involvement in decision making process on the health of school climates of public secondary schools in the South West Region of Cameroon. This study utilised the correlational research design. Data was collected through cross sectional survey of a sample of 31 schools and 135 parents whose children attend the schools. A structured questionnaire was used to collect relevant data after being subject to validity and reliability checks. The ANOVA statistics was computed to predict the overall effect of parents’ participation in decision making process on school climate. The findings showed that: H1 = parents’ involvement in decision making process has a very significant and positive impact on school climate (R = 0.276**, P &lt; 0.001, far &lt; 0.05). This positive signs of the correlation value implies that parents’ involvement in the participatory decision making will lead to healthy school climate and this is supported by a high explanatory power of 89.1%. On the bases of the above, we conclude that there is a positive and significant relationship between parents’ participation in decision making processes and a healthy school climate. A major recommendation was for the Ministry of Secondary Education to establish enforcement structure to ensure that all secondary schools comply with the policy guidelines that provides for the involvement of stakeholders in decision making process in schools in Cameroon.

Cameroon's Schools

Abstract In this article, the data for which I acquired through a systematic review of articles published over three years, focusing on analyzing the evolution of the situation over these past years, I discuss school-based gender violence in Cameroon. Considering the complexity of Cameroonian society and its responses to violence against girls and women, we need to establish that violence can be addressed, and we have to suggest how this can be done. From one region to another, a girl being denied access to education, being trafficked, or being forced into early marriage constitutes an experience of violence. Even though the government has been fighting these ills for the past twenty years the results show that girls are still highly vulnerable in the education system.

Learning Strategies of Francophone Learners in Selected English Medium of Instruction Schools in Cameroon

This study focuses on the learning strategies of learners from Francophone backgrounds immersed in English Medium of Instruction schools (EMI) in Yaoundé, Cameroon. It also investigates the challenges faced by the students in effectively applying and using these strategies. To this effect seven English medium of instruction schools were identified and chosen in the capital city of Yaoundé and used for this study. In the selected schools four hundred learners who hailed from Francophone homes and were immersed in the English Medium of Schools were chosen and used for this study. The tools engaged for this research endeavor comprised classroom observation, interview and the questionnaire. The results from our investigation showed that these learners used Cognitive, Metacognitive, Affective, Social as well as Authority-oriented strategies. It should be noted that the learners faced different challenges in applying the different strategies. In general the strategies worked out well because the students accomplished their goals which included success in learning content subjects as well as the acquisition of improved proficiency in the English language.

Sexual Violence. Inadequate Reporting of a Silent Scourge in Secondary Schools in Cameroon

The paper examined how boys and girls are affected by sexual violence in relation to their learning and foxed out of the study, how the learning of students is affected in schools by violence in Cameroon. Sexual violence is more often than not, linked to the female gender with the males always almost forgotten. The essence of the study is to investigate the effects of sexual violence on the learning abilities of students of both sexes in schools in the framework of global learning and in Cameroon. The study was conceived as an experimental group design with a cause-effect approach. The study used the quantitative approach with structured questionnaires that have been tested and validated through multinational and regional organizations and institutions. 924 students were randomly selected from eight secondary schools in one region of Cameroon. and used as the primary sample. Structured questionnaires were used to elicit data. The collected data was analysed using JAMOVI. The analysis was dependent on descriptive statistics. The study’s findings show high levels of sexual violence against both genders, with the males, more affected, by high levels of different forms of violence and poor school quality. This situation reduces schools to arenas of illicit sexual activities thereby compromising the learning and social justice for the students. In perspective, therefore, a lot of research needs to be undertaken to unravel such a teeming quagmire.

Cardiovascular risk factors among Cameroonian adolescents: Comparison between public and private schools and association with physical activity practice-a cross-sectional study.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide and physical activity (PA) practice is recommended as the most efficient preventive measure to curse their burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Our study aimed to compare cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in adolescents in public and private schools in Cameroon and assess the impact of PA practice. We conducted a cross-sectional study on students from private and public secondary schools in the city of Douala. Anthropometric parameters, blood glucose, and blood pressure (BP) were collected. PA was assessed using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the influence of PA levels on different CVRFs. The differences were considered significant for p < .05. We recruited 771 participants, aged 16 ± 1years, 51.4% female, and 48.6% private school students. Prevalence of CVRFs was 38.4%; 11.5%; 5.6%; 5.4%, and 3% for overweight/obesity, abdominal obesity, smoking, glucose homeostasis abnormalities, and high BP (HBP) respectively. Around 41% of participants had low PA level (LPA). Abdominal obesity and LPA were more common among girls (p < .0001 both) and 1.3% of participants had more than four CVRF. In multivariate analysis, LPA was significantly associated with a higher odd of HBP (OR = 7.69; p < .0001). The prevalence of various CVRF is high among Cameroonian adolescent schoolers. Public policies should focus on prevention programs through physical exercise and the reduction of smoking.

Flipped Learning Method: Possible Antidote for Achieving Gender Equality in Mathematics in Secondary Schools in Cameroon and Nigeria

The purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of the flipped learning method in enhancing students’ achievements in mathematics, and also to determine the possibility of this method in minimizing gender inequality noticed in both Cameroonian and Nigerian secondary school mathematics classrooms. The study employed a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design. The population size was 5348 Form 3 students (2684 females and 2664 males) in Mezam Division – Cameroon and 5891 Junior Secondary (JS) 3 students (3236 females and 2655 males) in Awka South Local Government Area – Nigeria. A sample of 180 Form 3 and JS3 students from four schools (two from each country) were selected through a combination of simply random and purposive sampling techniques. A Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) consisting of 20 items and validated by experts, was used in collecting data for the study. The Kudder-Richardson 20 (K-R 20) reliability of the MAT was found to be 0.79. Treatment lasted for six weeks. Mean was used to answer the research questions while the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings of this study revealed that the flipped learning method enhanced the achievement of students in mathematics no matter their gender or their country of origin. Furthermore, the flipped learning method enhanced the achievement of female students from both countries better than that of the males. It was recommended that curriculum planners and policy makers in education in Cameroon and Nigeria should consider effective alternative teaching-learning methods to be used in teaching mathematics, especially the flipped learning method considered in this study which did not only prove to be an effective enhancer of students’ achievement in mathematics but also provided activities which enabled the females to be as competent as or even more competent than the males.

The Hypothetical Question of Bilingual Education in Schools in Cameroon

The Hypothetical Question of Bilingual Education in Schools in Cameroon

Visual Teaching Techniques and the Development of English Language Competencies in Secondary Schools in Cameroon

Purpose: The paper underprops the prominence of visual teaching techniques as a teaching method to better engage students during the teaching and learning processes, and to make outstanding endorsements for it to be adopted in all the schools in Cameroon. It is on this prelude that, this study sought to bargain on the positive effects of visual teaching techniques in the development of English Language competencies.&#x0D; Methodology: The study used the survey research design which comprises of cross sectional and quantitative designs. Data used was solicited from primary sources; through questionnaires and experimental observation checklist. Sample respondents made up of 52 teachers and 373 form three students selected from government, lay private and mission schools in Mezam Division. The study employed the descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 25.&#x0D; Findings: The findings of the study revealed that, the use of visual scaffolding will positively impact the development of English Language competencies. Not only does it act as a burly enhancer for the development of language competencies but it equally develops creative skills, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.&#x0D; Conclusion: Visual scaffolding technique is an asset in teaching English as a second language.&#x0D; Recommendations: From the findings this study recommended that, teachers must be prepared and willing to use visual techniques to better engage their students especially with the current trends of events, teachers should be sensitized and trained on the importance of visual scaffolding and the development of competencies in English language.