The National Coordination of the Collective of Teachers' Organizations of Cameroon (CORE.C) has launched an urgent appeal to save the Cameroonian education system, which is threatened with collapse by 2029. During an ordinary session held on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, CORE.C denounced the government's "institutional contempt," union repression, and the massive exodus of teachers, all factors that jeopardize the future of education in the country.
CORE.C has announced the launch of "Operation Phoenix," an initiative aimed at "restoring the Cameroonian school and the teaching profession". The collective strongly criticizes the government for systematically ignoring its proposals to revalue the status of teachers, which it considers essential to improving the quality of education. Union leaders believe that the dialogue in March 2025 did not achieve the desired results, with commitments slow to materialize and structural problems persisting in schools.
CORE.C also denounces a "repressive drift," accusing the authorities of equating the exercise of trade union rights with acts of insurrection. The collective condemns the arrests, which it describes as arbitrary and an attempt to criminalize teacher demands. These tensions reflect an increasingly strained social climate surrounding educational issues.
The exodus of teachers is another major concern. CORE.C refers to "tens of thousands of teachers driven to survive," forced to seek better living conditions abroad. This skills flight, described as a "continuous bleeding," poses a major risk to the stability of the education system. The collective puts forward "forensic statistical indicators" suggesting a "systemic and irreversible" breaking point for public schools by 2029.
Faced with what it describes as a "shipwreck of the republican school," CORE.C is launching a solemn appeal to teachers, parents, and local elected officials to mobilize to save education in Cameroon. The collective rejects the idea that digital education can compensate for the shortage of teachers, stressing the importance of human supervision and its ability to curb violence in schools.
The precise outlines of "Operation Phoenix" will be unveiled gradually, but the initiative is intended as a framework for action to restore the dignity of the teaching profession and strengthen the foundations of the education system. "A school in ruins today is the factory of rebellions of tomorrow," warns CORE.C, stressing that "Saving the school is no longer an option, it is a vital requirement".
This stance by CORE.C comes in a context of persistent tensions between teacher organizations and public authorities. The future of education in Cameroon is more than ever at the heart of social and political issues, as the government has announced the recruitment of 3,000 primary school teachers as part of the Programme d'Appui à la Réforme de l'Éducation au Cameroun (PAREC). In addition, at least 3,500 teachers are expected to be integrated for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Education ranks third among national concerns in Cameroon, after health and unemployment.
